Digital Regulation Research, Forecasts & Analysis

New Spectrum Taxes: Why “Business As Usual” is a Perilous Assumption

: The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has finalised a $7.32 billion spectrum license renewal fee, a decision that has met with significant industry resistance. This report analyzes the disconnect between regulatory pricing models and the emerging reality of the digital economy, w…

Netflix/Warner takeover will squeeze local media

: In early December 2025, Netflix entered a definitive agreement to acquire the film and TV studio assets of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), including Warner Bros. Pictures, HBO, and HBO Max. This reflects an SVOD industry that has matured and now seeks profitability through consolidation. If successfu…

Australian Government Must Win the News Bargaining Battle

: The Australian Treasury's consultation paper outlines a significant shift in media regulation, moving from voluntary encouragement to a mandatory levy system. By targeting platforms based on total Australian revenue rather than news carriage, the government seeks to close loopholes that allowed com…

Time to Abolish the Regional Broadband Scheme?

: News has emerged today that the Minister for Communications has approved an ACCC recommendation to reduce the Regional Broadband Levy from $8.46 to only $2.17 per month per broadband line for 2025-26. Despite its name, the Levy is actually paid by nbn Co’s urban fibre infrastructure competitors. In…

In Defence of Australia’s ESafety Commission - Why Technology Needs Regulation

: This report analyses the growing global and domestic resistance to unregulated technology platforms, focusing on the Australian eSafety Commission's role. It explores the philosophical and legal justifications for government intervention in digital markets, drawing parallels between historical indu…

Australia’s Social Media Minimum Age Scheme

: This explainer details the legislative framework of the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024. It examines the core 'reasonable steps' obligation, the technical requirements for age assurance, and the dual-regulatory roles of the eSafety Commissioner and the OAIC. The report h…

Australian Government rejects the PC’s TDM Exception for Copyright

: The Australian Government has decisively rejected the Productivity Commission's (PC) proposal for a Text and Data Mining (TDM) exception to copyright law. This proposal, initially framed as a way to boost productivity by allowing AI developers free access to copyrighted data for model training, met…

State of the Australian Telecommunications Industry: Telco at a Crossroads

: This is a speech delivered at CommsDay Wholesale Congress, Melbourne, 14 October 2025.