Australia’s controversial online censorship boss has admitted attending a secretive AI summit funded by mining tycoon Andrew Forrest and not disclosing it on her office’s gifts and benefits register.
ESafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, an unelected American-born bureaucrat who is paid more than $445,000 a year to decide what Australians can say on social media, was among more than 30 guests invited to the multi-day all-expenses-paid strategy retreat at Minderoo Station, MLex reported.
A spokesperson for Ms Inman Grant confirmed to MLex that her travel and accommodation at the billionaire’s 2,400 square kilometre property in Western Australia’s Pilbara region in August this year were only available from organisers.
Mr Forrest is also believed to have attended the event, which was not publicised by his Minderoo Foundation and of which there are few traces online despite the attendance of high profile local and international tech policy figures.
Ms Inman Grant did not disclose her attendance, although public servants are required to update the registry if they receive gifts or hospitality of a greater value than $100. Her only declaration for the July to September period was her attendance at a a two-day Australia Strategic Policy Institute conference in Sydney worth $2,200.
“The commissioner … accepted an invitation to attend the Artificial Intelligence Summit, an event including more than 30 government, academic and technology leaders in AI at Minderoo Station, Western Australia,” the eSafety spokesperson said in the statement to MLex.
“Discussions covered technology policy, safety and regulatory implications from the rapid proliferation of AI.”
Mr Forrest was Australia’s second richest person in 2023, but dropped to eighth on the Australian Financial Review Rich List this year after his split from wife Nicola, who now sits one spot above him with $16.92 billion, due to owning more shares than him in the company he founded, Fortescue.
The revelations about Ms Inman Grant come after a year of controversy for the eSafety Commissioner, who has been embroiled in public spats with Elon Musk and a failed attempt to force X to remove content.
She was also caught spreading misinformation about “violent extremism”, gave a biased speech about Donald Trump while calling for more internet censorship, and admitting a conflict of interest when she demanded X remove a factual post by Canadian activist Billboard Chris about a “transgender” extremist.
In another ongoing case she is facing a tribunal appeal from Australian woman Celine Baumgarten over an X post takedown notice.
Header image: Left, Julie Inman Grant (eSafety). Right, Andrew Forrest (WEF).
