Politics Now Did Sylvester Stallone snub Canberra?
Apr 28, 2026
Discussion of a new exposure draft to make tech platforms pay for news and how that payment model might work. Debate over whether Meta, Google and TikTok will comply or push back and who would get the funds. Coverage of a plan to double Australia’s fuel reserves and the political tensions it raises. Analysis of a controversial US ambassador pick and changes at Defence leadership.
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New Revenue Charge Targets Big Tech
- The government unveiled an exposure draft to force Meta, Google and TikTok to pay a revenue-based charge between 1.5% and 2.5% if they don't reach deals with media outlets.
- Patricia Karvelas and Melissa Clarke note the draft leaves key details open, like distribution to big vs small outlets and whether platforms could simply withdraw from Australia.
Deals Can Reduce The Charge But Tech Can Play Hardball
- The exposure draft lets platforms reduce their liability by striking deals with media companies and offers incentives to make deals cheaper than paying the charge.
- Melissa Clarke warns multinational tech firms have history of hardball tactics and could threaten to stop operating in Australia.
Distribution Model Is The Hard Part
- A major unresolved issue is the distribution model: who gets government-collected funds if platforms pay the charge instead of deals.
- Karvelas highlights the difficulty of fairly balancing payments between large legacy outlets and smaller publishers dependent on platform distribution.