Albo gives fake news huge blast

FAKE news and culture wars are tearing apart the community, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese will declare today as he calls out keyboard warriors.

Naming Facebook as one of the biggest culprits, Mr Albanese will reveal just last week he was subject to fake news – with a far-Right activist hijacking his real messages, allegedly breaching electoral law, while the social media giant did nothing.

A plebiscite on an Australian republic in the short term has been dumped as Labor policy, with Mr Albanese declaring indigenous recognition will be put ahead of any other constitutional reform.

In his third headland speech to be given in Sydney today, he will warn against the increased anger and misinformation destroying the political system, urging social media giants to crack down on fake news.

“Why do Facebook’s laws of the jungle trump Australia’s law of the land?” he will say. “Sometimes online platforms are unwilling to filter out content proven to be misinformation.

“The increased volume of anger and misinformation is robbing our political debates of civility, and making the public’s poor opinion of our political system much, much worse.”

He will also urge everyday punters to take responsibility themselves, as he calls out both sides of the culture wars.

“If you disagree with someone, your facts are fake, your character questioned and you’re denounced as an elite.

“On the other side of the coin, if you’re not progressive enough, you’re cancelled.

“We can’t afford to let culture wars dominate our politics and our discussions like this.”

He will also declare that a First Nations voice to parliament is the most urgent constitutional issue facing Australia.