Australia and the United Kingdom have announced a joint initiative to address online violence and gender-based abuse targeting elected representatives, with a particular focus on protecting women parliamentarians across the Commonwealth.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham issued the joint statement on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), highlighting the growing threat posed by online abuse to democratic participation and public debate.
The leaders said a toxic online environment threatens democratic values, undermines individual freedoms and discourages people from participating in public life.
They noted that women parliamentarians in Australia and the UK are three times more likely than their male counterparts to report receiving sexualised or gender-based threats, both online and in person.
The statement said there are more than 6,000 women parliamentarians across 180 state and federal parliaments in Commonwealth countries. It also highlighted incidents in which elected representatives in Australia and the UK have been killed or injured while carrying out their public duties.
The leaders warned that similar incidents occur across the Commonwealth, with women parliamentarians disproportionately targeted. Such abuse, they said, can discourage talented and principled people from standing for election because of the hostility directed at representatives and their families.
Albanese and Burnham called for collective action involving governments, technology companies and other stakeholders to create safer online spaces, protect individuals and communities, and support respectful public debate.
They referred to commitments made by both governments at the United Nations General Assembly to improve online safety, give people greater choice over the content they see on social media feeds and strengthen protections for children against harmful online content.
Australia and the UK have also committed to deeper cooperation through bilateral memorandums of understanding on ending gender-based violence and online safety and security, including technology-facilitated gender-based violence.
The two countries will work with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians and other Commonwealth nations to bring together technology, expertise and practical solutions to protect parliamentarians from online abuse.
The first forum under the initiative is scheduled to be held in 2027, with participation open to Commonwealth countries that share the commitment to safer online spaces and democratic participation.
The statement also welcomed software tools being trialled in parliaments and elsewhere to address online abuse, encouraging further innovation while governments work towards changing attitudes and restoring respectful public debate.
The leaders said immediate steps were needed to protect democratic institutions while longer-term efforts continued to address the causes of online hostility.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
