Governor-General assents to 16 Acts reshaping media and cash services

Her Excellency the Governor-General, in the name of His Majesty, assented on 26 August 2026 to sixteen Acts passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives, numbered 67 to 82 of 2026. The assent was notified for general information in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (Government Notices Gazette C2026G00594), registered on 7 September 2026, under the signature of C. A. Surtees, Clerk of the House of Representatives.

The batch spans taxation, criminal law, gambling, foreign relations and national security, but its centrepiece is a legislative overhaul of how news media are funded and how cash services are delivered. Together the Acts reshape the news media bargaining scheme, introduce a dedicated charge on digital platforms, and put cash distribution on a statutory footing.

Media bargaining and news journalism payments

The News Journalism Payments Act 2026 (No. 75) distributes revenue collected under the news media bargaining scheme, while the News Journalism Payments (Consequential Amendments) Act 2026 (No. 76) makes the accompanying changes. The scheme is completed by two further instruments:

• The News Media Bargaining (Administration) Act 2026 (No. 77) implements the news media bargaining charge.
• The News Media Bargaining Charge Act 2026 (No. 78) imposes that charge.
• The Treasury Laws Amendment (News Media Bargaining) (Consequential) Act 2026 (No. 79) makes consequential amendments.

The effect is to convert the earlier bargaining framework into a funded, administered system in which revenue collected from bargaining is channelled to journalism payments, with a statutory charge underpinning the scheme.

Cash distribution framework

The Cash Distribution Framework Act 2026 (No. 68) supports and regulates the provision of cash distribution services and the providers of those services. It is paired with the Cash Distribution Framework (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2026 (No. 69), which deals with consequential and transitional matters arising from its enactment. The framework places cash distribution on a regulated footing, setting out the obligations of providers and the transitional arrangements for the sector.

Taxation, crime and other reforms

The remaining Acts address a broad range of policy areas:

• The Customs Tariff Amendment (Incorporation of Proposals) Act (No. 1) 2026 (No. 67) amends the Customs Tariff Act 1995.
• The Crimes and Other Legislation Amendment (Omnibus No. 1) Act 2026 (No. 70) touches criminal law, law enforcement and telecommunications.
• The Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 2) Act 2026 (No. 71) amends taxation law.
• The Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Act 2026 (No. 72) and the Interactive Gambling (Cost Recovery Levy) Act 2026 (No. 73) reform interactive gambling and impose a levy on licensed interactive wagering services.
• The National Self-exclusion Register (Cost Recovery Levy) Amendment Act 2026 (No. 74) amends the 2019 Act of the same name.
• The Australia’s Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) Amendment Act 2026 (No. 80) and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Act (No. 2) 2026 (No. 81) amend foreign relations and security legislation.
• The Combatting Illicit Tobacco Act 2026 (No. 82) amends the law on proceeds of crime, telecommunications interception, customs, excise and taxation.

For readers, the assent marks the formal entry of these measures into the statute book, with the media bargaining and cash distribution Acts carrying the most direct consequences for digital platforms, news publishers and the providers and users of cash services across Australia.

Source: Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, Government Notices Gazette C2026G00594, registered 07/09/2026, Government Notices (official reference: C2026G00594).