Protect Australian creativity from Big Tech

Australian artists should never be forced to hand over their life’s work to Big Tech for free.

Shadow Minister for the Arts, Angie Bell MP, said strong and enforceable copyright protections are essential to ensure Australian creators are respected, rewarded, and able to continue to produce world-class work.

“If AI companies want to use Australian creative work, they should do what everyone else does: ask permission and pay for it. That’s how copyright works, and that’s how it should stay,” Ms Bell said.

“Australian creativity is one of our greatest national assets – not a free resource for multinational tech companies. The Coalition will always back the right of artists to control their work and be fairly compensated when others profit from it.”

Ms Bell said Australian creators are increasingly concerned about how their work may be used in the development of artificial intelligence systems without consent or compensation.

Recent reports have raised concerns that works by leading Australian artists and musicians may have been incorporated into overseas AI training datasets without permission. If accurate, these reports highlight the urgent need to ensure Australia’s copyright framework keeps pace with technological change while protecting creators’ rights.

“This is about consent, fairness and respect for Australian creativity,” Ms Bell said.

“This week, Australian musicians, authors and performers came to Parliament House with a clear message: protect our copyright laws and protect our creative industries. They should be heard.”

Ms Bell said it is the role of Government to provide certainty to creators, not uncertainty.

“Labor’s silence on this issue speaks volumes. Australian creators deserve a government that stands with them to protect their work – not one that sits on the sidelines while global AI companies push for weaker protections.”