Media staff would list conflicts of interest publicly
Journalists, presenters, editors, bosses and big owners would have to declare, or publicly list, gifts, paid-for trips and close ties that could slant the news. They would also list shares, which are part-ownership of companies. The media and phone watchdog would put it all online.
Official name: Broadcasting Services Amendment (Register of Media Interests) Bill 2026
- A new public Register of Media Interests, a list anyone can see, would be run by the media and phone watchdog.
- The Special Broadcasting Service is a national TV and radio network for many cultures. It, the ABC, TV and radio stations and bigger print companies would have to declare things that could slant their reporting.
- Journalists, editors, presenters, board members, bosses and main owners would have 30 days to declare an interest.
- Missing the deadline could mean a court fine of 250 penalty units. A penalty unit is a set dollar amount used to work out fines. Stations could lose their licence.
Who it affects
- Journalists, presenters and editors: You would have to tell your employer within 30 days about gifts, trips, shares or close ties that could slant your work.
- TV and radio stations with a licence: They would have to report these interests to the watchdog. Failing to do so would break a rule of their licence.
- Newspaper and magazine companies: Print companies with more than 10 full-time staff in Australia would have to report too.
- The ABC and the Special Broadcasting Service: The two national broadcasters would have the same duty to tell.
- News readers and viewers: You could look up what a media outlet has declared on the watchdog's website.
Media have no interests register
MPs and senators already have to list their gifts, shares and other interests on a public list. This bill would make something similar for the media.
Senator Alex Antic brought it into the Senate, Parliament's second house, on 18 August 2026. It is a private bill. That means a senator brought it in, not the government.
His notes on the bill say the media shapes what the public thinks and how democracy works. They say media outlets should be open about things that could sway them. Then people would know more about where their news comes from.
The media interests register
The bill adds a new part to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992, the main law for TV and radio.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority is the media and phone watchdog. It watches over TV, radio, phones and the internet. We will call it the watchdog. It would set up the public list and keep it on its website.
The watchdog must publish everything it is told. The government could write detailed rules that let it hold some things back. These could be private personal details, or facts that could put someone in danger.
The watchdog could switch the list off for a while to fix it, or to stop misuse or crime. It would have to post a public notice when it does this.
Who must declare what
The rules cover every TV and radio station with a licence from the watchdog. They also cover the ABC, the Special Broadcasting Service and some print companies.
A print company is covered if its main business is newspapers, magazines or journals. It must have more than 10 full-time staff in Australia.
A media interest is anything that could clash with the outlet's freedom to report fairly. It is anything that could slant its news. If it is about money, it only counts when it is worth more than $300.
The bill gives examples. These include gifts, paid-for trips, free meals and events, shares in companies, and close personal ties with people or groups.
The interests of some people inside the outlet count too. These are board members, bosses and managers, journalists, editors, presenters and announcers. They also include anyone who owns more than half of the company.
Say a radio host gets a free overseas trip worth $2,000 from a company he often talks about on air. He would have to tell the station within 30 days.
The station would then have 30 days from when it learns of the trip to tell the watchdog. The watchdog would put it online.
Deadlines and penalties
Staff must tell their outlet within 30 days of finding out about an interest. The outlet must have rules in place to make this easy.
The outlet must then tell the watchdog in writing within 30 days of finding out.
Missing either deadline could lead to a court fine of 250 penalty units. This fine does not give anyone a criminal record.
For TV and radio stations, reporting on time would also be a rule of their licence. Breaking a licence rule can lead to the licence being paused or cancelled.
Waiting in the Senate
The law would start the day after the Governor-General, who stands in for the King, signed it into law.
The bill was brought into the Senate on 18 August 2026. The senator spoke on its main idea that day. It has not been debated yet.
The Senate and then the House of Representatives would both need to pass it before it could become law.
Its journey through Parliament
| 18 Aug 2026 | Senate: Introduced and read a first time |
| 18 Aug 2026 | Senate: Second reading moved |