Creative industries call on government to hold firm
Speaking at Parliament House, artists, authors and music creators alongside Australia’s creative and media leaders called on the Albanese Government to hold firm on its existing copyright framework
APRA AMCOS members Francois Tetaz, Hannah Cameron, John Collins, KLP, Warren H. Williams and William Barton attended the event alongside CEO, Dean Ormston
The creative and media industries gathered in Canberra yesterday to set out a clear position. Australian creative work is the fuel that powers the AI economy. Without it there are no large language models, no image generators, no AI products of any kind. Australian creators should be part of that success story, not locked out of it. The path is straightforward: ask permission and pay.
The gathering at Parliament House included Andy Griffith, Anna Funder, Francois Tetaz, Hannah Cameron (Middle Kids), John Collins (Powderfinger), KLP, Mahalia Barnes, Mark Seymour, Paul Dempsey, Warren H. Williams and William Barton plus industry representatives from APRA AMCOS, ARIA, Australian Society of Authors, Australian Writers’ Guild, Australian Publishers Association, Mushroom Group, Australian Music Publishers Association Ltd, Gyro, Association of Artist Managers, Copyright Agency and Free TV Australia.
Lucy Hayward, CEO of the Australian Society of Authors, said: “Despite what tech might tell you, copyright is simple. If you want to use someone's work, you need to ask permission. And copyright is also how authors earn a living. Instead of coming to creators and rightsholders to do deals, big tech is throwing money at lobbying in Canberra for solutions that would enable them to use creators' work in exchange for chump change. For all intents and purposes that's wage theft for the creative industries.”
Dean Ormston, CEO of APRA AMCOS, added: “Canberra Airport's never been so busy with people flying out from the US, putting pressure on the government to say there needs to be some trade-off in relation to data centres and investment. Ultimately, we want to see the collaboration of tech industry and creative industries to the benefit of all Australians. Now's the time for the government to double down on its investment in the opportunity for the creative industries in AI. The future's bright, we need to hold firm, we're open and ready to do business.”
Singer/songwriter, Mahalia Barnes, added: "This is not just data. This is truly art. This is our culture, it's the essence of our nation. Artists can never be replaced by technology and AI because art is essentially about humanity."
Anna Funder, award-winning author, said: “I'm a writer but I'm standing here before you today really as a victim of crime. My books have all been hoovered up in many editions in many countries, in many languages by big tech, broken down into parts and used for them to make money. We don't want patrons, we don't want a big tech fund, we want our rights."
Bestselling author and Australian Children’s Laureate 2026-2027, Andy Griffiths, added: “I've written 43 books, 67 books have been scraped without permission. That includes translations. They are going for everything. There's been no agreement reached on any of those books. Copyright is how art gets made and if we undermine that there will be no more art, not even to scrape."
Warren H Williams, award‑winning singer/songwriter, concluded: “My people are the worst ones to get ripped off. Someone comes in from outside because they have sound or the music tracks already written and they ask the black fella to do songs in their language. They go away, mix it, never come back.”
In October 2025, following consultation with Australia’s creative and media industries, the Albanese Government rejected a proposed text and data mining exception that would have allowed AI companies to use Australian content without permission or payment. It was the right decision, and one that affirmed the Government’s commitment to Australian culture.
As AI companies intensify their lobbying in Canberra, Australia’s creative and media industries are calling on the Government to hold the line. Australian copyright law is fit for purpose in the AI era. What is needed is the Government’s continued resolve, and we need AI platforms willing to come to the table and do the deal with Australian creators and businesses. Australia is already a world leader in tech regulation. Licensing markets for AI training are already developing internationally. Australia should ensure our creators are part of that market and should not weaken protections that provide a return on the intellectual property of our artists, creators and businesses.
The creative, cultural and media sectors call on government to:
- Hold firm on the existing copyright framework and resist pressure from AI companies to reopen or weaken it.
- Continue to stand with Australia’s artists, writers, musicians, filmmakers, journalists, performers, songwriters, composers, broadcasters, producers, publishers and rightsholders.
- Use government’s power to bring AI platforms to the table with Australian rightsholders for genuine licensing agreements built on permission and payment.
- Position Australia as a world leader in AI development that grows the economy while protecting Australian culture, Australian content and Australian creative jobs.
