QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Ms WELLS (Lilley—Minister for Sport and Minister for Communications) (14:25): I thank the member for Moreton for her question, and I hope that her knee is on the mend. The Albanese government is delivering real and meaningful reform to help Australians through tax cuts, paid parental leave, help for first home buyers and action to keep kids safe online. But these are not the only ways we are delivering for Australians.
People across the country rely on journalists and public interest media to be informed about issues that matter to them. The Albanese government is delivering direct support for the media through our $153 million investment in the News Media Assistance Program. The member for Moreton introduced me to Emily at the Queensland Chinese Times in Sunnybank to talk about the funding they have received through the Albanese government's Journalism Assistance Fund.
This is a small newspaper, but it is an important part of the local community, helping people stay informed about what is happening and what's important to them. Publications like this ensure local voices are heard and that local stories are told. The media matters, and journalism matters.
Journalism is the lifeblood of a robust democracy. It holds people, businesses and governments to account, which is why the Albanese government is backing a strong and sustainable media sector. There's never been a more critical time to ensure the sustainability of Australia's media sector.
That's why we're progressing the News Bargaining Incentive legislation through parliament this week with coalition support—keep up; there are two bills. We believe it is only fair that large digital platforms contribute to the hard work of journalists and the stories that enrich their feeds and drive their revenue. They should pay their fair share, and that's what the News Bargaining Incentive will ensure they do.
If digital platforms do not do deals with news publishers, they will need to pay a charge, and any revenue raised will be distributed to the news media sector to support journalism in Australia. In the last two days in this parliament, we have delivered significant reforms which will build a sustainable, responsible future for Australians. This includes the intractably difficult job of reforming the NDIS and taking the strongest ever action to tackle the harms of gambling.
In households today we no longer gather around one TV to watch our teams or our favourite shows, and our gambling advertising reforms acknowledge this. That is why amendments introduced yesterday go further to protect children from seeing gambling ads, be that via streaming or on TV. We are protecting children and supporting people at risk while making reform workable and keeping industry accountable for their practices.
Our gambling advertising reforms are focused where Australians need protection most while ensuring the new rules are practical, enforceable and capable of delivering real change.