US sides with tech giants lobbying against Australia
Anthony Albanese has vowed not to allow the US to undermine Australia’s interests as US tech giants fight to be excluded from paying for local news content.
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Australia will “negotiate sensibly” with the Trump Administration without undermining Australia’s interests, Anthony Albanese says.
His comments come after a new trade report from the US updated its list of grievances with Australia to include Labor’s attempts to force tech giants like Meta to pay for local news.
“I’ve seen this report, and the report has three things that are of concern at least to Australia,” he said at a press conference in the Adelaide electorate of Boothby.
“One is the news bargaining code, the second is pharmaceuticals, and the third is biosecurity.
“Those issues are not up for negotiation from the Australian Government. We would defend Australia’s interests. The idea that we would weaken biosecurity laws is really that, as my mum would say, cutting off your nose to spike your face.”
Mr Albanese dodged questions on why Mr Trump had not agreed to a third phone call.
“What happens is that phone calls come together when things are agreed,” he said.
“I have very clearly indicated Australia is not negotiating over the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. We’re not negotiating over the new bargaining. We won’t undermine our biosecurity.”
The US Government has sided with tech giants lobbying to dismantle Australia’s News Media Bargaining Code, listing the program as a “trade barrier” in a report released days before Donald Trump unveils his plans for reciprocal tariffs.
In its annual report released on Tuesday (AEST), the US Trade Representative raised concerns over purported barriers created by Australian animal health restrictions on US beef, pork, poultry imports and plant health constraints on apples and pears.
It also took aim at Australia’s pharmaceutical intellectual property laws and flagged cultural policies that could impact streaming services.
Those issues were previously identified in an earlier 2024 report.
But for the first time, the trade boss also took aim at Australia’s news bargaining code introduced in 2021 which requires social media giants to fairly remunerate news businesses for its content.
“Under the Bargaining Code, designated platform services companies are required to engage in negotiations with registered Australian news media businesses to pay the news businesses for content accessed via certain services offered on the companies’ digital platforms,” the 2025 National Trade Estimate Report states.
“In December 2024, the Government announced its intent to tighten the rules surrounding the Bargaining Code, including by introducing a financial penalty for designated platforms that do not reach or renew commercial agreements.
“The United States continues to monitor this issue.”
It comes after the Computer and Communications Industry Association, which represents tech companies including Apple, Meta and Elon Musk’s X, labelled Australia’s bargaining code as an “unfair trade practice” in a submission to the US Trade Representative responsible for preparing the annual report.
In its March submission, it described the Bargaining Code as a “coercive and discriminatory tax that requires US technology companies to subsidise Australian media companies”, claiming targeted companies had already paid $250m annually but warning that cost could significantly increase.
CCIA Vice President of Digital Trade Jonathan McHale welcome the trade report on Tuesday
“The reinstatement of several barriers to US digital exports to this report was particularly noteworthy and helpful,” he said.
“This report will serve as a blueprint for both enforcement priorities and identifying negotiating objectives for future agreements to promote the cross-border flow of digital products and services. “We look forward to working closely with USER to advance market access as digital trade is the fastest growing area of trade in services for the United States.”
In releasing the report, trade ambassador Jamieson Greer said it detailed foreign trade barriers faced by US exporters and the ongoing efforts to reduce those barriers.
“No American President in modern history has recognised the wide-ranging and harmful foreign trade barriers American exporters face more than President Trump,” Mr Greer said.
“Under his leadership, this administration is working diligently to address these unfair and non-reciprocal practices, helping restore fairness and put hardworking American businesses and workers first in the global market.”
It comes on the eve of the President implementing widespread reciprocal tariffs in what he has described as “liberation day” for America.
Australian envoys have been tirelessly working to secure an exemption but Mr Trump has cast doubts on a deal being struck before they are imposed, saying the tariffs would apply to “all countries”.
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Originally published as US sides with tech giants lobbying against Australia
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