July 16 2026
Following weeks of intense lobbying by tech and AI companies seeking downgrades of Australian copyright laws in order to use all digital music and creative works for AI purposes without licenses, as well as robust counter advocacy to high-level decision makers by the Australian and international music publishing industries, the Prime Minister of Australia Mr. Anthony Albanese has issued a landmark and highly positive statement of the government’s position. PM Albanese has rejected tech sector proposals that music can be used without permission. It has also rejected tech sector proposals for a mere fund for the use of creative industries’ work.
This comes in the face of lobbying by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, Google and several others.
ICMP welcomes the clear statement that Australian music, books, art and news must not be used to train AI without the consent of creators and rightsholders and that the Australian government has agreed with us that consent must precede compensation.
ICMP continues to work with governments worldwide to ensure they avoid exceptions to copyright laws for AI companies, that they tackle the ongoing largest IP theft in history by enforcing their laws and that music companies and creators can continue to build AI markets which are built on license, revenue and remuneration.
- DAMIAN RINALDI, Chief Executive Officer, AMPAL (ICMP’s Australasian music publishers’ association): “Today, the Australian Prime Minister reaffirmed a principle that matters to creators everywhere: an artist’s creative endeavour is their work and their property.
Australia has demonstrated that AI innovation and copyright protection can go hand in hand. We now look forward to working with the Australian Government, AI companies and our international colleagues to turn that principle into practical licensing solutions.
Copyright remains non-negotiable, but music publishers are ready to negotiate fair licences.”
- JOHN PHELAN, ICMP DIRECTOR GENERAL: “Congratulations to our Australasian affiliate AMPAL and the music publishers, songwriters and composers they represent on this important defence of Australian music and music makers. The implications are global.
Prime Minister Albanese’s statement was clear as day: “No company should use Australian books, music, art or news to build or train AI without the artist’s control. That includes the artist’s control of the price and value of their work. Anything less, is theft.”
Our international industry fully agrees and looks forward to continuing to build only those AI and music markets which are built wholly on consent, credit and compensation.”
Prime Minister’s speech titled ‘AI in Australia’s interests’ is available in full here.
