Australia news LIVE: Bills on the brink in final sitting week of the year; Social media giants slam ‘rushed’ ban consultation

Social media companies including Snapchat, TikTok, and Meta have taken aim at the “rushed” consultation process for the ban on children under 16.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland introduced the world-leading reform to parliament last Thursday, which she said would make the online environment better for young people.

The consultation period for groups and individuals to make submissions closed a day later on Friday. A Senate committee on Monday held a one-day hearing and is due to report back on Tuesday.

In submissions to the inquiry, a number of groups, including social media companies, pointed to the short notice period.

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Snap Inc, wrote the “the extremely compressed timeline” had allowed stakeholders little more than 24 hours to provide a response which “severely” constrained thorough analysis and informed debate.

X, formerly Twitter, also criticised the “unreasonably short time frame of one day”, writing that it has “serious concerns as to the lawfulness of the bill”.

Meta, which owns Facebook, wrote there had been “minimal consultation or engagement” and urged the government to wait for the results of the age assurance trial before progressing with the legislation.

TikTok said despite the “time-limited review” there were a range of “serious, unresolved problems” that the government must clarify to ensure there wouldn’t be unintended consequences for all Australians.

AAP