Australia strikes deal on law forcing tech giants to pay for news

Australia's governing Labor party and the opposition Coalition have reached agreement on amendments to the news bargaining incentive bill, which is being introduced to parliament today and is expected to pass.

The legislation is designed to force major tech platforms such as Facebook and TikTok to pay news outlets for the value they derive from using their content. Following negotiations with the opposition, Labor will amend the bill so that tech companies must strike a minimum of eight deals with news publishers, up from the previously proposed six. The scheme is also designed so that each individual deal can only offset a maximum of 25% of a platform's total exposure to the levy, intended to encourage companies to make agreements with a wider range of outlets rather than just a few large ones.

Additionally, 5% of the funds collected will be directed to the Australian Associated Press newswire service.

Communications minister Anika Wells said the government was ensuring journalists receive a fair share of revenue that digital platforms generate from Australian news content. Assistant treasurer Daniel Mulino described the day as significant for the future of Australian journalism, saying the government wants to see fair compensation deals between digital platforms and a diverse range of media organisations.

Australia condemns Iran's executions

Separately, Australia has joined more than 30 countries overnight, including France, the United Kingdom and Canada, in a joint statement condemning Iran's use of capital punishment against protesters. The statement, also signed by the European Union's top diplomat, said the death penalty was being used to silence dissent and intimidate communities, and that this could never be justified.

According to the United Nations, at least 56 people have been executed in Iran since 19 March on national security-related charges, including 27 in cases linked to the protests. The UN and human rights groups have raised concerns about a lack of fair trials and the use of forced confessions.