Australia

Australia Proposes 2.25% Tax on Meta, Google, TikTok

Is the News Media Bargaining Incentive a vital lifeline for Australian journalism or a flawed Labor power grab?

Published 3 days ago

Australia Proposes 2.25% Tax on Meta, Google, TikTok

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Above: A photo illustration of the Meta logo displayed on a smartphone with the Australian flag in the background, created on April 10, 2025. Image credit: Avishek Das/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images

The Spin

Australian Labor Party narrative

For years, large digital platforms have profited off Australian journalism without paying their fair share; that ends now. The government's News Media Bargaining Incentive will encourage platforms to strike evenhanded deals with local publishers, while laying the foundations for sustainable journalism that will serve as the bedrock of a strong Australian democracy.

Anika Wells on Facebook Prime Minister of Australia

Liberal/National Coalition narrative

No one should trust Labor, nor its new incentive. After all, they sat idle for years while the Coalition's world-leading News Media Bargaining Code collapsed, leaving newsrooms and regional papers in limbo, and did nothing to hold big tech accountable. Now, Labor wants to impose its own measures and control the funding, but with no guarantee or reason to believe they will do so fairly.

Sarah Henderson on X Senator the Hon Sarah Henderson