Does Senator David Shoebridge support AI safety?
Senator David Shoebridge (Greens) represents NSW in the Senate.
In public statements he has warned that unchecked AI—especially in the form of deepfakes—poses serious risks to democratic processes and national security, and has called for essential guardrails and robust law reform similar to European models.
Key Statements on AI Safety
"It's extraordinary that the government has been on notice about the risks here for more than a year and almost nothing to stop the deepfakes being used to steal the election. They haven't even required that political AI deepfakes be labelled."
"With an election just months away there is still time to put in some essential guard rails, but for this to happen we need the government to join us in making it happen."
Their score on expert-recommended AI safety policies
Over 357 experts, public figures, and concerned citizens endorsed these policies in their open letter before the 2025 election.
AI Safety Institute
A well-resourced, independent technical body to assess AI risks and advise on safety standards.
David Shoebridge supports (from party policy)
Party Notes: The Green’s platform includes an Australian AI Act with mandatory guardrails and an independent regulator. During the Australians for AI Safety Townhall, Greens Spokesperson Senator Shoebridge explained that proposed AI regulator would also perform the functions of an AI Safety Institute. He gave details, including that the regulator would assess pre-deployment AI risks.
Mandatory Guardrails
A dedicated AI Act with mandatory guardrails for high-risk AI systems will both protect Australians and create the certainty businesses need to innovate.
David Shoebridge supports (from party policy)
Party Notes: The Greens "fully support an Australian AI Act and an independent AI regulator." They explicitly acknowledge that "AI technology is rapidly outpacing government regulation" and highlight "the need for guardrails when it comes to AI." Their plan includes requiring "Digital Rights Impact Assessments for machine learning and other AI technologies that can negatively impact the public" and ensuring "a chain of accountability for when AI goes wrong or causes harm."