Overview
The News Media Bargaining (Administration) Act 2026 (Act No. 77, 2026) became law on 26 August 2026 and is administered by the Department of the Treasury.
What the Act does
The Act establishes a charge - referred to as a levy - that applies to significant social media or search services based on their relevant Australian digital advertising revenue. The Act explicitly targets large digital platforms, not small businesses, tradies, retailers, cafes, or bookkeepers.
How the offset works
Platforms subject to the levy can offset the charge by spending money on commercial deals or arbitrated agreements with Australian news media businesses. The rules for this offset are set out in Part 4 of the Act.
Anti-avoidance rules
The Act includes anti-avoidance provisions. These rules allow the Tax Commissioner to cancel any scheme designed to dodge the charge.
Subordinate rules
The Act allows for subordinate rules to be made under section 31. Any such rules would be registered on the Federal Register of Legislation at https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2026A00077.
Key actions
- No action is required for small business owners - this Act applies to large social media and search platforms, not to tradies, retailers, cafes, or bookkeepers.
- Australian news media businesses seeking to understand how the charge offset works for commercial deals with platforms can read Part 4 of the Act at https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2026A00077.
- Anyone wishing to be notified of any rules or regulations made under this Act can set up an alert on the Federal Register of Legislation at https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2026A00077.
This is a plain-English summary for information only, not legal or compliance advice. Always check the official source or consult a qualified professional.