# Opinion: Australian parties may push AI rollout despite falling public trust

Digest AI · Policy & Regulation · published 2026-10-20T14:00:38Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/opinion-australian-parties-may-push-ai-rollout-despite-falling-public

## Summary

Australian Labor and the Coalition are moving toward a joint AI strategy even as public confidence wanes.  Only 30% of Australians thought AI’s benefits outweighed its risks last year, and a 2026 poll suggests trust has slipped further.  The parliament’s new joint select committee on AI, formed to shape policy on data centres and adoption, now faces a stark gap between political ambition and community sentiment.

The article warns that AI‑driven workplace surveillance is already harming workers.  Reports cite supermarket staff forced to meet AI‑generated productivity targets, remote employees monitored through software that records screens and audio, and rideshare drivers penalised for factors beyond their control.  Incidents of harassment and suicidal ideation linked to constant video monitoring are highlighted, while existing workplace laws offer no clear protection.  The author argues that, unlike speculative existential risks, these harms can be mitigated by amending the Fair Work Act to require monitoring to be “fair and reasonable,” building on the Privacy Act’s principles.

The piece calls for immediate legislative action, stressing that without it, public backlash could stall AI’s economic benefits and erode trust in government oversight.

## Key points

- Only 30% of Australians believed AI benefits outweighed risks last year, with trust falling further in 2026.
- Joint select committee on AI was created, but workers report AI‑driven surveillance causing injury, harassment and job loss.
- Authors urge updating the Fair Work Act to make any worker monitoring “fair and reasonable.”

## Why it matters

Public distrust and unchecked workplace surveillance could slow AI adoption in Australia and prompt stricter regulation affecting the broader AI industry.

## Sources

1. [Labor and the Coalition are poised to take a reckless gamble on AI. Haven’t they realised community support has collapsed?](https://theguardian.com/technology/commentisfree/2026/oct/21/labor-coalition-poised-to-take-reckless-gamble-on-ai-joint-select-committee) (The Guardian AI, 2026-10-20)

## Cite

Digest AI, "Opinion: Australian parties may push AI rollout despite falling public trust", 20 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/opinion-australian-parties-may-push-ai-rollout-despite-falling-public

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