Albanese and Taylor hold talks on Big Tech news levy

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is holding urgent talks with Opposition Leader Angus Taylor to secure support for the News Bargaining Incentive (NBI) legislation. The bill seeks to compel major tech platforms, including Google, Meta, and TikTok, to pay media companies for the use of their content.

The government faces significant backlash following a last-minute amendment that changed the proposed levy from a percentage of gross annual revenues to a percentage of digital advertising revenue. Large media organizations, such as News Corp Australasia and Nine, argue this change devalues major publishers. News Corp executive chairman Michael Miller warned that the shift could “erode the quality and independence of news every Australian relies on.”

While the government maintains the changes aim to create a “balanced package” that benefits smaller publishers, the opposition and the Greens have expressed concerns. A successful deal between the government and the Coalition could see the bill introduced to parliament this fortnight. The legislation remains contentious internationally, with the Trump administration previously describing the model as “foreign extortion,” raising potential risks of tariff retaliation from the United States.