Media organisations urge government to reject AI copyright concessions
Eighteen Australian media and creative industry bodies have pushed back against the federal government's willingness to relax copyright protections for AI companies. The joint statement, signed 22 May, called on the government to "hold the line" on copyright legislation.
The statement was triggered by reports that the government signalled openness to reopening copyright law during negotiations with AI firms seeking major investment commitments in Australia.
Signatories included News Corp, Nine, the ABC, the Australian Recording Industry Association and the Australian Writers Guild, alongside organisations representing music, screen, literature, publishing and visual arts sectors.
What government documents revealed
The ABC obtained Department of Industry briefing notes via freedom of information request, dated ahead of a February meeting between Andrew Charlton, assistant minister for science, technology and the digital economy, and Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic.
The notes showed the government wanted to "understand Anthropic's issues with Australia's copyright regime, how it affects their business and what alternatives have been explored."
One stated government objective was to have Anthropic "commit to working with Australia on frontier AI safety and security."
The industry position
The signatories said Australia's October 2025 decision to reject a copyright exception for AI platforms was "decisive and world-leading" and should not be reversed.
"Australia will not prioritise AI companies at the expense of its creative and cultural sector," the organisations wrote.
They argued that licensing frameworks already work. "Deals have already been brokered between AI platforms and rights holders, including Australian rightsholders, across music, news and other creative sectors," the statement said.
The organisations said they remain open to licensing agreements with AI companies but will not accept "a copyright carve-out."
AI companies seeking to use Australian creative content must extend existing licensing frameworks to all rights holders in the country, the signatories argued.
For government professionals navigating AI policy decisions, understanding how copyright and licensing interact with AI development is essential to informed decision-making.
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