Social media executives whose websites broadcast horrific terror attacks could face jail or billions of dollars in fines under new laws.


The Morrison government rushed the laws through parliament after the Christchurch terror attack was broadcast live by the shooter on Facebook.


The tech industry says the changes "create uncertainty" for the industry in Australia, but Attorney-General Christian Porter rejected that as scaremongering.


"This is what they said before the cyber-bullying requirements and regulations, this is what they said before the E-Safety Commissioner, this is what they said before the takedown notice (laws) - they're all still here," Mr Porter told reporters in Canberra on Thursday.


Mr Porter said website executives could face jail, depending on the circumstances, as well as massive fines.


"Facebook, if they allowed this to happen again in commensurate similar circumstances, could potentially face a fine of up to 10 per cent of their turnover," he said.


The laws passed parliament with Labor's support, as part of its commitment to bipartisanship on matters of national security.


But shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus is not happy about the "ridiculous timeline" they had to consider the changes, which the party first saw on Monday afternoon.


“This bill is clumsy and flawed in many respects," he told parliament.


If Labor wins the next election the laws will be referred to the powerful intelligence and security parliamentary committee and potentially amended.


Communications Minister Mitch Fifield said the coalition would send the laws to the Senate communications committee after the election.


He also promised the committee would "look at the role of these platforms as publishers".


Digital industry lobby group DIGI said the laws are out of step with regimes in Europe and the United States.


"(It's) therefore bad for internet users as it encourages companies to proactively surveil the vast volumes of user-generated content being uploaded at any given minute," managing director Sunita Bose said.


The laws are targeted at instances where perpetrators of crimes upload video of them.


"It's not going to take a lot of particular nuanced judgement to work that out. This is footage of rape, murder, torture or kidnapping," Mr Porter said.


The Law Council of Australia said the laws were rammed through in 24 hours without scrutiny and consultation.


“Important news can be censored across social media platforms, which is contrary to the democratic principle of a free press, which exists to hold governments to account," president Arthur Moses said.


But Senator Fifield said there were exemptions for journalists doing their work, and the law would not impact on human rights advocates.


Media companies already have codes of practice that prevent them from showing footage of murder, rape, torture and kidnapping.
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"The law has to be the same for everyone," Mr Porter said.

​No regret or bitterness, no could've beens or wannabes, but a new chapter for Christopher Pyne.

More than half of his life has been spent in federal parliament, and the 51-year-old rolled through some achievements as he announced his retirement on Saturday.

Establishing Headspace, the youth mental health network. Building submarines in Adelaide. Creating a national innovation strategy. Literacy and numeracy tests for teachers.

"I've certainly had a go," Mr Pyne told reporters in Adelaide on Saturday.

The 26-year parliamentary veteran will leave at the May election and go into private industry, rather than chase the leadership of the Liberal party.

"There is a lot of could've beens in politics, and there is a lot of wannabes," Mr Pyne said.

"Being leader of the party, that would have been a tremendous thing to do for the party and for the country, also for myself.

"(But) I think I've covered the whole gamut of opportunities that have been available to me and I'm very fortunate."

Mr Pyne is close to former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull but said the August leadership change did not affect his decision to quit.

"I started thinking about (it) in January when I was down at the beach ... whether I wanted to keep going," he said.

The defence minister's departure leaves Prime Minister Scott Morrison's front bench depleted just weeks out from the election being called, but Mr Pyne is confident the coalition can win the poll.

"People have got to retire some time," he said.

"Being in politics is not a life sentence."

Mr Pyne entered parliament in 1993, and shortly after told future prime minister John Howard it was time for him to move on. The Adelaide MP was subsequently banished to the backbench for almost a decade.

"I think I was a bit young at 25. At the time I thought I knew everything," he said when recounting the episode.

"That led to some period in the freezer for me."

His three children, aged 11 to 18, have all been born while he has been a politician and on the road regularly.

"I think it will take some getting used to, me being around most of the year. But I'm sure they're looking forward to it. It begins a new chapter for all of us," he said.

Mr Pyne said watching colleagues lose their seats before they were ready affected his choice.

"I'm not leaving with regret or bitterness, nor have I been forced out of office in some hideous scandal," he said.

"I'm not going into the tomb, I intend to be around in politics, in South Australia in particular, for a long time to come."

Labor frontbencher Penny Wong praised Mr Pyne as a "worthy opponent".
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"He's irrepressible. He's tenacious at times to the point of ruthlessness and he's occasionally extremely entertaining," she told reporters.