News Journalism Payments Bill 2026, News Journalism Payments (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2026, News Media Bargaining (Administration) Bill 2026, News Media Bargaining Charge Bill 2026, Treasury Laws Amendment (News Media Bargaining) (Consequential) Bill 2026

Senator DOLEGA (Tasmania) (11:13): Every day, Australian journalists do the hard work of finding facts, testing claims and telling the stories that matter. Reporters knock on doors, sit through council meetings, attend court hearings and spend weeks or months investigating issues that impact our local communities. They even sit in this place and have the hard job of making sense of what's happening and reporting back to their audiences through articles, live crosses and live blogs.

Editors check the facts and photographs, and camera operators capture the moments that help us understand what's happening around us. This work is not free. Good journalism takes skill.

It takes time and resources. It requires newsrooms willing to pursue the truth, to ask difficult questions and to stand behind their reporting. While the story can appear on a social media feed in seconds, the work behind it often takes days or weeks and sometimes months.

The Albanese Labor government recognises that a healthy democracy depends on that work. Australians need reliable information so they can make informed decisions, hold governments to account and understand the issues impacting their lives. Strong journalism helps strengthen our communities, shine a light on wrongdoing and provide a voice to people who might otherwise go unheard.

The news media bargaining incentive bills incentivise commercial agreements between digital platforms and Australian news businesses, with platforms able to reduce their liability through eligible deals rather than pay the charge. We've introduced this because we believe Australians deserve access to news that is independent, diverse and locally produced. Debate interrupted.