Live: Big tech faces higher tax if it does not reach deals with local publishers

live Federal politics live: Big tech companies to face higher tax if they do not reach deals with local publishers Tech companies will be forced to pay a 2.5 per cent tax on digital advertising revenue if they do not reach deals with media companies under the government's revised News Bargaining Incentive draft legalisation. Follow all the updates in our live blog. Submit a comment or question Live updates New: Filters Choose what information you see below by using filters Key Event Mon 3 Aug 2026 at 7:12am Tech companies who don't reach deals with media companies to pay 2.5 per cent tax Tech companies will be forced to pay a 2.5 per cent tax on digital advertising revenue if they don't reach deals with media companies. The government has concluded consultation on its News Bargaining Incentive legislation which will soon be introduced to parliament. Under the initial draft legislation, companies were meant to pay 2.25 per cent tax, but under the new proposal that will rise to 2.5 per cent. Labor will also increase the offset for deals with small publishers from 170 per cent to 200 per cent, and expand the number of deals needed to fully acquit tech companies from tax from four to six. The changes also include narrowing the charge base to digital advertising revenue attributable to Australia. Media companies say the legislation is a "critical step" towards securing the future of Australian news content. But big tech companies have criticised the draft legislation, saying the tax won't deliver a sustainable news sector. Mon 3 Aug 2026 at 7:05am Good morning 👋 Hello and welcome to our federal politics live blog! It's great to have you here for another week of politics shenanigans. I'm Josh Boscaini joining you live from Parliament House in Canberra, here and ready to bring you all of today's federal politics news. Tech companies will be forced to pay a 2.5 per cent tax on digital advertising revenue if they don't reach deals with media companies. Let's get right into the day and see what unfolds! Stay with me! Loading