News Journalism Payments Bill 2026

Summary

Google, Facebook, and other large digital platforms would be required to pay Australian news organisations for content that appears on their services. The legislation creates a new framework forcing tech companies to negotiate fair payment deals with news publishers, or face having those negotiations handled by an independent arbitrator if talks break down. This addresses a major imbalance where tech giants profit from news content without compensating the journalists and newsrooms that produce it, helping struggling local news outlets stay viable and supporting quality journalism across Australia.

What happens at this stage

The final vote in this chamber on the bill as a whole, after all amendments have been considered. If it passes, the bill moves to the other chamber to go through the same process. If both chambers have already agreed to identical text, the bill proceeds directly to Royal Assent.

Next: The other chamber, which runs the same process from First Reading, or Royal Assent if both chambers have already agreed