Copyright Amendment Bill 2026

The majority voted against an amendment introduced by NSW Senator David Shoebridge (Greens), which means it failed. Had it succeeded, the amendment would have added the text below to the usual second reading motion, which is "that the bill be read a second time" (parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill).

Amendment text

At the end of the motion, add ", but the Senate:

(a) notes that the Copyright Amendment Bill 2026 permits teachers to use copyright material in online lessons delivered via platforms such as Zoom;

(b) calls on the Government to ensure that copyright law delivers genuine clarity for educational institutions operating in a modern learning environment by progressing amendments to section 28 of the Copyright Act 1968 to allow lessons to be recorded for a limited period, with appropriate access controls and destruction requirements in place, so that students who cannot attend lessons due to illness, disability, or other reasons are able to catch up; and

(c) notes that ensuring educational institutions are able to operate in rapidly changing digital environments will be critical going forward".