The federal government is planning sweeping changes to sports broadcasting rules which could lead to big sporting events disappearing from free-to-air broadcasters and moving to subscription streaming services such as Foxtel, Amazon Prime and Stan.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has issued a consultation paper which flags potential reforms to the anti-siphoning scheme, which keeps a small list of sporting events “of national importance and cultural significance” such as the AFL and NRL finals on free-to-air TV, while emphasising that Australians must continue to have free access to watch these events.