News Journalism Payments Bill 2026

A large majority voted against an amendment motion introduced by Kate Chaney MP (Independent).

The 'consideration in detail' stage (known as 'committee of the whole' in the Senate) is when parliament examines a bill line-by-line. Unlike a second reading amendment, an amendment at this stage is a literal attempt to rewrite the actual text of the proposed law. It is used to add, delete, or change specific words, numbers, or clauses before the bill goes to a final vote.

Because the majority voted 'No', the amendment was unsuccessful and the bill's text remained unchanged.

Amendment text

(1) Clause 3, page 3 (lines 23 to 26), omit the paragraph beginning "Also, 5% of the revenue", substitute:

Also, 15% of the revenue from the charge is available to make grants of financial assistance, to entities with an annual income of less than $20 million, for the purpose of assisting in the production of core news content, with priority given to entities that are not otherwise eligible to receive payments under the scheme.

(2) Clause 40, page 39 (line 12), omit "10%", substitute "20%".

(3) Clause 44, page 43 (line 7), omit "10%", substitute "20%".

(4) Clause 93, page 87 (line 5), omit "10%", substitute "20%".

(5) Clause 93, page 87 (lines 8 to 12), omit the paragraph beginning "5% of collected charge revenue", substitute:

15% of collected charge revenue is available for making grants, under sections 94 and 95, to certain entities and corporations with an annual income of less than $20 million, with priority given to entities that are not otherwise eligible to receive payments under the scheme. Any amount unspent in a payment year is available for spending in a later payment year.

(6) Clause 94, page 88 (after line 11), after subclause (1), insert:

(1A) In deciding which eligible entities (if any) to make a grant of financial assistance to under subsection (1), the Secretary must give priority to eligible entities that are not approved participants for the payment period during the which the grant under subsection (1) would be paid.

(7) Clause 94, page 88 (lines 15 to 17), omit the definition of eligible entity, substitute:

annual income, for an individual, a partnership, a trust or a body corporate, means the amount for the individual, partnership, trust or body corporate that is worked out in accordance with regulations made for the purposes of this definition.

eligible entity means an individual, a partnership, a trust or a body corporate (other than corporation to which paragraph 51(xx) of the Constitution applies) that has an annual income of less than $20 million.

(8) Clause 95, page 88 (after line 25), after subclause (1), insert:

(1A) In deciding which eligible grant recipient corporations (if any) to make a grant of financial assistance to under subsection (1), the Secretary must give priority to eligible grant recipient corporations that are not eligible corporations.

Note: For eligible corporation, see section 7.

(9) Clause 95, page 89 (before line 1), before the definition of eligible grant recipient corporation, insert:

annual income, for a corporation, means the amount for the corporation that is worked out in accordance with regulations made for the purposes of this definition.

(10) Clause 95, page 89 (line 4), omit paragraph (c) of the definition of eligible grant recipient corporation entity, substitute:

(c) that has an annual income less than $20 million.

(11) Clause 100, page 90 (line 25), omit "half", substitute "three-quarters".

(12) Clause 100, page 90 (line 27), omit "half", substitute "three-quarters".

(13) Clause 100, page 91 (line 3), omit "half", substitute "one-quarter".