Rule out link to 'fake' posts: Labor to PM

Labor wants Prime Minister Scott Morrison to guarantee the Liberal Party hasn't been involved in sharing fake posts on a Chinese social media platform.

Labor is taking action over 'fake news' posts on WeChat.

WeChat is a popular chat program in China. Source: AAP

Labor wants the prime minister to rule out any Liberal Party involvement in fake posts and doctored accounts on Chinese social media platform WeChat.

The accounts are spreading misinformation about Labor's federal election campaign, which senior opposition figure Penny Wong says are "deeply concerning".

The posts target Labor policy on issues such as Safe Schools, taxes, asylum seekers and the economy.

Some of the anti-Labor material can be traced back to Liberal Party members, The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Tuesday.

"This is not what we do in Australia. We have robust political debates. We don't have major political parties engaging in fake news on this media platform or any other media platform," Senator Wong told reporters in Geelong.

"It is incumbent upon Scott Morrison to rule out any Liberal Party involvement in the malicious false content that is circulating on WeChat."

The senator said parliament had passed foreign interference laws to ensure there was no interference in Australian elections.

One of the WeChat posts includes a tweet purporting to be from Labor leader Bill Shorten saying: "Immigration of people from the Middle East is the future Australia needs".

Both Mr Shorten and Prime Minister Scott Morrison have WeChat accounts. The platform has become an important tool for parties seeking to woo electorates with high numbers of Chinese-Australian voters.

Labor has also written to WeChat parent company Tencent about its concerns about "malicious and misleading content" and "fake news".


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2 min read
Published 7 May 2019 1:52pm
Source: AAP


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