DFAT warned Trump staff of looming tech levy amid 'America First' fears
Australian officials were eager to brief the incoming Trump administration on the government's new tech levy, which will be imposed on social media platforms unless they strike deals with media companies.
Australian officials briefed Donald Trump’s camp on the Albanese government’s new tech levy before it was publicly announced in December amid mounting concerns the policy could fall afoul of the new US president’s “America First” agenda.
The policy — dubbed the News Bargaining Incentive – threatens to impose a charge worth hundreds of millions of dollars on US tech platforms including Google, Meta and China's TikTok if they don’t strike content deals with Australian news publishers.
There is concern within the Australian government that Trump could hit out against the policy considering his growing embrace of big tech and his relationships with Meta owner Mark Zuckerberg and X owner Elon Musk.
Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones, who oversaw the development of the policy, revealed that the government reached out to both the Biden administration and the Trump camp prior to announcing the policy on 12 December. Sources confirmed to Capital Brief that the officials included senior diplomats from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
