Anika Wells faces tech lobbying skirmish on eve of National Press Club

October 14, 2026 — 5:00am

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Anika Wells′ senior staffers will advise the communications minister to have a good dinner on Wednesday night – preferably a steak, we’re told – before having an early night. After all, Thursday will be a big one.

Wells would be the highest-profile absentee from a TikTok event scheduled at Canberra’s Kingston Hotel on Wednesday evening – assuming she was invited – for what appears to be the first public lobbying effort by TikTok to oppose Labor’s controversial Digital Duty of Care bill.

TikTok, which raked in $883.7 million in revenue from Australia in 2025 while offshoring $458 million to the Cayman Islands, has roped in former ABC presenter Jan Fran for hosting duties. The platform will also wheel out a gaggle of creators – Elle Ray and Dr Karl among them – for the sales pitch. (Here’s hoping the appearance fees were generous.)

Still, our guess is Wells won’t be sad to miss it. On Thursday, the minister will address the National Press Club to peddle Labor’s Digital Duty of Care bill, which Labor is expected to introduce that day. It introduces new obligations for social media platforms –........

© The Sydney Morning Herald