Treasurer Jim Chalmers backs Australian parents as US big tech targets online laws

US tech giants Meta, Google, Amazon and X are targeting Australia’s online laws, but Treasurer Jim Chalmers says he will stand up for Aussie parents.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has said he will defend Australian parents and “protect kids online” as US tech giants move to target the country’s digital trade and regulation laws.

Meta, Alphabet, Apple and X have lodged an official complaint with America’s Office of the United States Trade Representative, singling out Australia’s News Media Bargaining code, local content requirements and AI regulation as examples of “unfair trade practices”.

The 25-page complaint, compiled by the Computer and Communications Industry Association and lodged on March 11, claims local laws are unfairly stripping billions of dollars in revenue from US firms operating in Australia.

Mr Chalmers, speaking on Sky News on Friday morning, said it was “not surprising” the tech giants would take an adversarial view to legislation dictating their operations, but his government would make decisions in Australia’s “national interest”.

“To protect kids online, for example, or to make sure there’s a level playing field in our media, with our media organisations,” he said.

“Those are our motivations. We’re not surprised that from time to time the tech giants will have different views about that.

“But our job is to implement the best set of arrangements that we can to look after Australians online.”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers wants a ‘level playing field’ in Australia’s media. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

The economic power of US tech has exploded over the past two decades.

Apple’s market capitalisation alone is about $5 trillion, which is larger than the entire Australian economy.

But the giants have expressed anger over local legislation forcing them to divert profits to other parts of the Australian economy.

“The News Media Bargaining Code requires US online service providers, when designated, to pay Australian news publishers for the links and snippets,” the complaint document states.

“Currently, the two companies targeted by the law pay $250m annually through deals that were coerced through the threat of this law.

“However, with the threat of the new ‘incentive’ tax from the Australian government, this cost is likely to significantly increase.”

The complaint also calls out local content requirements for streaming and entertainment production companies and proposed regulations around AI that the association claims would add “significant compliance burdens” on American firms.

Tech titans like Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Tesla’s Elon Musk and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos moved to court US President Donald Trump following his victory last November and enjoy access to the White House.

The combined economic might of US tech exceeds the entire Australian economy. Picture: NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar

“It’s self-evident that they are very close with the US administration,” Mr Chalmers said.

“Our focus and our job is to make our case in the US, as we have been doing, but to also make sure we continue to make the best decisions that we can for Australia.

“I think a lot of people around the country, not just parents but including parents, they want to make sure there are appropriate protections for people online.

“The tech giants won’t always like that, won’t always agree with that, but we’ve got to do that job on behalf of the people of Australia and there will be different views about how we go about that as we roll it out.”

The complaint could potentially spark a new front in Mr Trump’s trade war against Australia after he slapped a 25 per cent tariff on Australian steel and aluminium.

The complaint followed a call from the trade office for comment from US industry groups about discriminatory practices and taxes their members face in foreign markets.

Originally published as Treasurer Jim Chalmers backs Australian parents as US big tech targets online laws