Time to back regional journalism
AUSTRALIA is again leading the world in media reform, and we now have a practical, bipartisan opportunity to help secure the future of public interest journalism across regional Australia.
Country Press Australia welcomes the Albanese Government’s first critical step toward legislating the News Bargaining Incentive and calls on all parliamentarians to support this essential reform.
This policy builds on the success of the News Media Bargaining Code — while Google has honoured its commitments, Meta has walked away.
The new legislation will ensure global tech giants such as Meta and TikTok pay fairly for the content produced by Australian journalists.
For too long, tech platforms have captured the advertising revenue that once funded local journalism — without investing anything back into the communities from which they profit.
Their business models depend on the work of journalists yet contribute nothing to sustaining the local reporting that keeps communities connected and holds institutions to account.
The impact of this imbalance has been severe.
In some local government areas, there are now no independent journalists left to report on council meetings, scrutinise public decisions, celebrate local achievements and connect local communities.
When local journalism disappears, transparency and trust in local democracy disappear with it.
The News Bargaining Incentive is a practical, bipartisan opportunity to help rebalance this inequity, to recognise the public value of journalism, and to sustain the people and businesses who produce it.
Country Press Australia is calling for all federal MPs to advocate for the swift passage of the legislation once consultation concludes.
Damian Morgan
President, Country Press Australia