The Australian Government's draft legislation requires digital platforms such as Meta, TikTok and Google to compensate news publishers. Photo / Getty Images
The Australian Government's draft legislation requires digital platforms such as Meta, TikTok and Google to compensate news publishers. Photo / Getty Images
The draft legislation for the Australian Government’s push to force digital platforms such as Meta, TikTok and Google to compensate news publishers for the use of their content has been released, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced.
The proposed News Bargaining Incentive aims to close a loophole in theNews Media Bargaining Code that allows platforms to avoid their obligations and remove news from their services.
Albanese, speaking alongside Communications Minister Anika Wells and Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino, told reporters in Canberra the legislation would encourage “deal-making between the platforms and news organisations”.
Platforms who choose not to do commercial deals with news publishers will need to pay a charge as a proportion of their revenue.
These charges will be distributed to the news media sector.
“It will envisage some 2.25% of Australian revenue being paid. It can be offset by through deals, by 150% for deals done with traditional media and 170% through deals done through smaller media organisations,” he said.
“We want to see these commercial arrangements occur.”
Albanese said the Government had engaged in “extensive consultation” with Meta, TikTok and Google.
He added that investment in journalism was “critical to a healthy democracy”.
Platforms not making deals with publishers must pay a charge based on their revenue. Photo / Getty Images
“It matters. It’s something that defines the way that Australian society operates,” Albanese said.
“And frankly, if the work has been done by the people here, at this press conference, in other places right around Australia, then your work needs to have a monetary value attached to it.
“It shouldn’t just be able to be taken by a large multinational corporation and used to generate profits for that organisation with no compensation appropriate for the people who produce that creative content.
“There’s no substitute for Australian news and stories being told by Australian journalists.”
Albanese said Labour expected to introduce the legislation to Parliament during the “winter sitting” period. This will mean it will be tabled in either the July or August sitting fortnights.
“We would ask for broad support right across the Parliament, right across the House [of Representatives] and the Senate for this legislation,” he said.
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