Australia pushes tech firms to pay for news as students protest One Nation

Today the Australian parliament will vote on the news-bargaining incentive bill, which obliges digital platforms like Facebook and TikTok to negotiate a minimum of eight contracts with Australian news publishers, raising the previous threshold of six. Each deal may only offset up to 25% of the platform’s levy exposure, encouraging a broader spread of payments, and 5% of the collected funds will be allocated to the Australian one outlet.

Communications Minister Anika Wells hailed the measure as a step toward fair compensation for journalists, while Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino called it pivotal for the future of the industry. In parallel, student groups in cities such as Canberra are planning large rallies to oppose One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, whose recent statements called for a monocultural Australia. Organisers, including ANU student Yerin Park, describe the protests as the start of a wider anti-racist, anti-sexist campaign, criticizing Hanson’s voting record on education and warning against far-right influences on campuses.