What was debated in Parliament
Summarised using AI from the official Hansard transcript of the debate only. It is not a record of the debate and may leave things out. Read the Hansard below to check it.
This bill requires streaming services with at least one million Australian subscribers to spend 10 per cent of their Australian program spending, or 7.5 per cent of their Australian revenue, on new Australian drama, children's, documentary, arts and educational programs. The debate focused on whether the level was high enough, how spending would be counted, and whether children's and documentary content and regional areas would be protected.
Arguments made in support
The Government said streaming services, unlike free-to-air and pay TV, have no local content rules, and Australians should see their own stories on every screen.
Government members said the rules would support tens of thousands of screen industry jobs and give producers a steady pipeline of work.
The Government said a three-year averaging period and a four-year review give flexibility, and the design keeps within trade obligations.
The Coalition said it supports Australian content and the screen industry, and that it first proposed a streaming content guarantee in government.
The Greens and several independents said they supported the bill as a long-awaited step.
Arguments made against, or for changes
Independents including Monique Ryan and Allegra Spender said the levels were too low and mainly lock in current spending, and called for 20 per cent.
Allegra Spender moved amendments to stop taxpayer-funded producer offsets counting as streamer spending and to require reporting by genre.
Zali Steggall moved an amendment to require balanced investment across genres, warning children's and documentary content could decline.
The Coalition said the bill was rushed and moved amendments on making Australian content easy to find and on reporting regional spending.
The Government rejected all amendments, saying the bill had been carefully drafted to comply with trade law.
47 speeches by 28 members in the House and Senate over 4 sitting days.
Hansard: House of Representatives, 6 Nov 2025 ›
The official Hansard (PDF), Parliament of Australia
Hansard: House of Representatives, 24 Nov 2025 ›
The official Hansard (PDF), Parliament of Australia
Hansard: House of Representatives, 25 Nov 2025 ›
The official Hansard (PDF), Parliament of Australia
Hansard: Senate, 26 Nov 2025 ›
The official Hansard (PDF), Parliament of Australia
The last column counts members who did not vote. Party counts are for current members.
1 vote was cast by people who have since left Parliament.
Every party member who voted went with the majority of their party.