Does Clare O'Neil support AI safety policies?

Position unclear. While Clare O'Neil hasn't stated their position, Labor has an unclear stance on AI safety policies.

Clare O'Neil (Labor) represents Hotham in the House of Representatives.

In public statements she has focused primarily on cyber security and broader technology governance, with limited direct commentary on AI safety or regulation.

Current Positions

Minister for Home Affairs

Since 2025

National security implications of AI, cybersecurity, and critical infrastructure protection

Key Statements on AI Safety

“Generative AI technology promises unprecedented productivity and scientific breakthroughs. It also threatens, via social media, the proliferation of more voluminous, more targeted, and more believable harmful content.”

National Security College · View source →

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Contact Minister O'Neil

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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.

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Clare O'Neil unclear position (from party policy)

Party Notes: Labor claims that the Department of Industry, working with the National AI Centre (NAIC), is Australia's AI Safety Institute. This contrasts with international AISIs, which are typically new, independent, technically-focused bodies. The NAIC’s mandate is AI adoption, not frontier safety. Key indicators of a functional AISI such as dedicated technical staff, specific funding, evaluation capabilities (e.g., model testing, compute resources) appear absent and unplanned. This makes Labor's position ambiguous regarding genuine support for a well-resourced safety institute.

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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.

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Clare O'Neil partially supports (from party policy)

Party Notes: Labor says it's focused on legislative options around mandatory guardrails for high-risk AI, harmonised with international best practices. Labor said on 15 April, “We will have more to say about next steps soon.” While this suggests an Australian AI Act is a possibility, it leaves the door open to letting existing regulators handle AI on a piecemeal basis.

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How do the politicians score on AI safety?

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