In the final sitting day before parliament breaks for more than a month, the Federal Government will introduce legislation giving the eSafety commissioner extra powers and increasing fines, along with a bill cracking down on gambling ads.

Neither bill will pass parliament, with debate on the two resuming when politicians return to Canberra in August.

Communications Minister Anika Wells said the social media laws were urgent, despite the coalition and Greens teaming up to delay the reforms by sending it to an eight-week inquiry.

“I’m crestfallen,” she told ABC Radio on Thursday.

“Angus Taylor has decided to walk away from bipartisanship and he should explain why he would make such a craven and expedient decision.”

The minister said the opposition should front up as to why it was giving big tech an opportunity to prepare their case for “500-word” legislation that isn’t complex.

“Eight more weeks to get their ducks in a row, potentially eight weeks to shred documents now that they know these changes are coming,” she said.

Wells also defended changes to gambling laws from critics who argue they do not go far enough as they would not stop inducements such as bonus bets.

She said parents had the ability to prevent their children from being exposed to gambling ads on free to air television by watching programs through a streaming service.

The Federal Government will introduce laws on Wednesday to limit the number of gambling ads per hour, as well as scrap all ads during sports matches.

The federal government has been urged to take further action on gambling following a 2023 report by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy, which called for a complete ban on online gambling ads.

Sunday marked three years since the Murphy review was handed down.

Greens communication spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said the Government did not go far enough on gambling reform.

She said plans to limit gambling ads to specific times did not protect people, specifically children properly.

“It’s a half-arsed measure that will not protect families. We all know kids don’t go to bed at 8.30 while in the middle of watching their favourite football team,” she told reporters.

“The government needs to grow a spine here, stare down the gambling lobby. Stare down the big online media companies that are reaping the benefits of their advertising.”

Independent MP Monique Ryan said the gambling laws were only a half measure.

“The reality is this is a milksop, and the Government has folded. It listened more to the gambling industry, sports broadcasters and the sponsors than it has to what Australians want,” she told ABC Radio.

“The legislation the Government is promising will be inadequate. It will not protect young Australians from gambling harm.”

The ‌US House of Representatives, meanwhile, has passed legislation requiring online social media platforms to provide some safeguards for children, ‌setting up a potential clash with the Senate where lawmakers support more stringent standards.

Congress has taken increasing interest in preventing harm to youth online, as social media companies ‌have faced ‌a ⁠backlash.

The House passed the Kids Internet ​and Digital Safety Act in a 267-117 vote on Monday with support from both Democrats and Republicans.

The legislation would require companies to offer ways for children to limit addictive ⁠features and put in ‌place ​policies to protect them from some harms including sexual ​exploitation.

The bill ‌is the House’s first attempt to regulate online child ​safety since the Senate passed the Kids Online Safety Act in a 91-3 vote in ​2024.

The ​Senate bill would ​impose a “duty of care” on ‌social media companies when it comes to young users. 

US Senator Marsha Blackburn, a Republican from Tennessee, has been negotiating with the White House to gain support ​for a package that would include the bill.

(with AAP)