Amazon argues Australia’s new digital competition rules would stifle innovation
The e-commerce giant has submitted the first in a wave of corporate responses to Labor’s 'ex-ante' plan, which adds a new front to Australia’s battle with US tech giants.
Amazon has argued that Labor’s plans to introduce broad new digital competition rules targeting tech giants would stifle innovation and hinder productivity.
The claim is detailed in Amazon’s submission to a Treasury consultation process on a new 'ex-ante' framework, announced by Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones late last year. The proposed framework aims to curb anti-competitive behaviour among major digital market players.
Amazon’s submission, seen by Capital Brief, argues that Australia’s regulatory plans are modelled on “broad, novel and largely untested” regimes overseas and could deter investment in the country’s digital economy.
“Highly productive countries with high rates of digital investment and innovation do not have broad ex-ante regimes [for the tech industry],” the Amazon submission reads.
