ICMEC Australia has welcomed today's announcement of a new Office of AI within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, saying bringing Australia's AI response into one coordinated strategy is exactly the kind of leadership child safety needs to keep pace with the technology.
'AI touches every industry, from defence to education to the arts, and child protection is only one part of that picture,' said Dannielle Kelly, ICMEC Australia's Head of Government Affairs and Law Enforcement Outreach, who was in the room at the University of Sydney for today's address. 'But it is the part our SaferAI for Children Coalition exists to get right, and today's announcement shows government is listening.'
Ms Kelly pointed to the global leadership Australia has already shown through its social media reforms, and work happening across parliament on the nudify app ban, digital duty of care, and AI companion chatbot regulation, as proof that coordinated action on child safety works.
For two years, ICMEC Australia has been raising AI's risks and opportunities for children as a national priority, engaging across parliament to get there. 'Our children are growing up with this technology whether we plan for it or not,' Ms Kelly said. 'Today is a positive sign Australia intends to make progress in this space.'
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Spokespeople available for Interview
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Dannielle Kelly, Head of Government Affairs and Law Enforcement Outreach, ICMEC Australia
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Note to editors
Responsible reporting. This release concerns child sexual exploitation and abuse. Please report in line with the National Office for Child Safety media guidelines, avoiding any detail or framing that could identify or distress victims. ICMEC Australia uses the term child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and asks that the term "child pornography" or “child porn” not be used. If you have concerns or information relating to child sexual exploitation and abuse, you can make a report or access help via the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) or Esafety.gov.au.
About ICMEC Australia
ICMEC Australia is a not-for-profit organisation working at the intersection of technology, industry, policy, and child protection to prevent and respond to child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA). Through cross-sector collaboration, we strengthen safeguards, disrupt harm, and build coordinated systems that protect children. Our work is evidence-led and driven by a commitment to strengthening the professionals who detect, disrupt, and prevent CSEA. You can learn more about our work at icmec.org.au.
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Mikaela Jago | 0403872293 | p[email protected]
