News Bargaining Initiative Draft Legislation: ABC Alumni Submission 18 May 2026
ABC Alumni has made a number of submissions in response to requests by the Federal Government for consultation on the News Bargaining Initiative. The NBI proposes a 2.2% levy on large streaming and social media services which can be advantageously offset by entering into commercial deals with news media organisations whose material is used on their services. Here are links
ABC Alumni submission regarding the News Bargaining Incentive 18 December 2025
This current submission responds to consultation on the draft legislation for the News Bargaining Initiative
In this submission, ABC Alumni argues, on the one hand, that the proposed draft legislation is unlikely to be effective in achieving the stated objective of promoting greater diversity in smaller and regional news publishers. On the other hand, it submits that enhanced incentives offered for social media and search companies to negotiate commercial agreements with the ABC would provide an effective mechanism for achieving that goal.
The Alumni also submits that news publishers who have successfully negotiated commercial deals with social media and streaming services should be restricted in their eligibility to access revenue collected by the federal government under the News Media Incentive provisions.
Here is a link to the full submission