The Guardian reported that some artists in Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's Grayndler electorate in Sydney have raised concerns about proposed AI copyright opt-out models as Australia weighs creator protections and investment.
The report profiled individuals, not a formal campaign. Designer Lu Campbell-Smith called the proposed opt-out requirement “outrageous.” H Morgan-Harris, an author, curator and director of an artist-led space, said artists were “the first to be thrown under the bus.”
The Guardian also reported that Grayndler has more than 3,000 cultural and creative businesses. It said 10% of local workers are in those fields, compared with 4.2% nationally.
A document titled “AI on Australian Terms,” tabled in the Senate by Independent Senator David Pocock on Sept. 15, sets out two possible approaches. The Senate's record lists Pocock as the member who presented the document. The options are consultation proposals, not adopted policy.
Both approaches would let rights holders block their work from AI training using digital protections. One would use a central administrator or an extended collective licensing arrangement to distribute payments. Under the second, AI companies could train on works without those protections after meeting a licensing quota, with no additional payments beyond the quota deals. The slides state no quota size or duration.
Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said Sept. 29 that the government was considering a broad range of approaches and favored voluntary licensing. She also said Australia was not pursuing a broad text-and-data-mining exception.
The government's September consultation paper says it aims to protect creators' control and payment while encouraging investment in domestic AI training and data centers. It warns that unclear or heavy requirements could weaken firms' willingness to build in Australia or divert projects to other markets.
Public submissions closed Oct. 9, and Rowland said discussions with stakeholders would continue. Albanese said in July that broader AI standards were expected to be legislated early in 2027.
