Melbourne father Robb Evans held onto his daughter Liv’s ashes as he met the Prime Minister at his parliament house office.

It was there he thanked Anthony Albanese for the ban on YouTube and social media for under 16s, which begins at the end of the year.

Liv Evans, 15, tragically took her own life in August 2023 after suffering through an eating disorder fuelled by schoolyard bullies and social media.

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Her father is a member of advocacy group 36 Months and joined fellow parents who have also lost their children when meeting Albanese on Wednesday.

“I’m proud to be sitting here with you today because it shows real leadership on your part to stand up for the parents of our kids,” Evans told the Prime Minister.

“I can’t bring Liv back, but we can have an impact and make these tech giants realise they need to make change.

“You won’t budge on that and I couldn’t be prouder.”

Also in attendance was Bathurst’s Emma Mason, mother of Matilda (Tilly) Rosewarne, who took her life aged 15 in February 2022 as well as Brisbane’s Mia Bannister, mother of Ollie and founder of Ollie’s Echo, who took his life in January 2024, aged 14.

Mason told the Prime Minister: “You are leading our world and that is impressive, for our lost babies and future children.”

Nova Radio host and 36 Months Advocate, Michael “Wippa” Wipfli, said “children have been lost, but they’re here with us in spirit.”

“I want you guys to know their efforts aren’t lost, their thoughts are with us, and their efforts aren’t lost,” he said.

“There have been a lot of questions about how the social media landscape will look. It will still exist and be there, just in the appropriate time and space.”

The Laws

The changes to the laws announced by Communications Minister Anika Wells mean that under 16s will still be able to use YouTube in a logged-out state, but they won’t be able to hold an account.

YouTube Kids will also still be available for access.

Proposed age-restricted social media platforms originally included Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and X, but not YouTube as the Government believed it had educational benefits.

But the E-Safety Commissioner Julia Inman Grant intervened following a survey of adolescents, finding YouTube can be just as harmful as other sites.

Deput Opposition Leader, Ted O’Brien, said it was “curious the government didn’t make this clear before the election, its intent and now it has changed its mind.”

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