Australia Proposes 2.25% Tax on Meta, Google, TikTok
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.
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.
