Fair Pay for Creative Work

Fair Pay for Creative Work

image of Fair Pay for Creative Work

Every day, Australian performers, musicians, actors, journalists, voice artists and technicians help create the stories, music and cultural works that enrich our communities and inform our democracy. 

Yet too many creative and media workers receive a one-off payment for their work, while big media, tech and entertainment companies continue to profit from its use through broadcasting, streaming, public communication and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). 

We welcome the Albanese Government's commitment to protecting Australian creators and the adoption of the principles of Equitable Remuneration in the Australian Labor Party's policy platform, but creative and media workers need more than promises. They need laws that guarantee fair payment for the ongoing use of their work. 

Every day, Australian performers, musicians, actors, journalists, voice artists and technicians help create the stories, music and cultural works that enrich our communities and inform our democracy. 

Yet too many creative and media workers receive a one-off payment for their work, while big media, tech and entertainment companies continue to profit from its use through broadcasting, streaming, public communication and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). 

We welcome the Albanese Government's commitment to protecting Australian creators and the adoption of the principles of Equitable Remuneration in the Australian Labor Party's policy platform, but creative and media workers need more than promises. They need laws that guarantee fair payment for the ongoing use of their work. 

Fair Pay for Creative Work

We call on the Australian Government to: 

  1. Legislate a right for performers and creators to be paid when their work is broadcast, streamed or otherwise communicated to the public. 

  2. Ensure this right is inalienable and cannot be signed away through contracts, protecting creators regardless of their bargaining power. 

  3. Ensure creators have control over and receive a fair share of revenues generated through the licensing and use of their work in AI systems and future technologies. 

  4. Embed fair remuneration for creative and media workers as a core principle of Australia's next National Cultural Policy. 

  5. Mandate labelling of creative work generated with the use of AI to improve transparency 

  6. Legislate protections for First Nations data sovereignty, including protocols for the use of Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property 

Our Message to Government is simple:  

When creative work creates value, creators deserve to be paid. 

I support the introduction of the principles of Equitable Remuneration (fair pay) for creative and media workers into Australian legislation and call on the Australian Government to act now.