Liberal senator warns AI push must not trample artists' property rights

Liberal senator Andrew McLachlan has told his own party and the government to keep their hands off artists' copyright as Labor prepares a sweeping AI policy package. The South Australian backbencher said the work creatives produce must not be sacrificed to global corporate profiteering. He added that artists' property rights must be respected and protected, calling it unimaginable that the nation might value the machine over beauty created by the artist.

Labor is weighing copyright changes as part of a broader AI suite covering datacentres, online safety, energy resources and economic benefits. AI companies say they need legal certainty before investing in Australia, and Anthropic has put forward an opt-out model that would let it scrape music, books and journalism unless a rights holder objects. Some AI firms have rejected making agreements under existing copyright laws, arguing it is too difficult, while leading voices in the recording industry have raised the alarm about weakening those laws. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has previously declared it would be theft if creatives weren't paid for their work.

The fight is hardening into a constitutional question. Aria has argued that granting AI companies permission to scrape copyrighted material could amount to an acquisition of property by the government, and Coalition members Ross Cadell and Michaelia Cash have backed that concern. The principle that government must acquire property on just terms is emerging as a key flashpoint in the debate.

McLachlan said any compensation arrangements would have to be considered individually for each artist, warning it would be hard to guarantee an industry-wide scheme was fair. As a Liberal, he said, he believes property rights are foundational to a healthy democracy and a strong economy. He argued the state should never seek to compulsorily acquire or trade away an individual's property rights except in very limited circumstances, and not without just compensation.

He also aimed at the datacentre buildout, which is expected to increase emissions and power costs for households and has already triggered backlash from environmental groups and some communities. Datacentres must not be built at the expense of biodiversity, McLachlan said, adding that Australia must explore ways to build sovereign AI capability sustainably. His line on it: I choose real forests over virtual ones.

Labor and the Coalition are broadly aligned on attracting more AI investment and datacentres to Australia, though the opposition has warned the government against selling out Australian rights holders in the rush. Senator David Pocock has complained about a major party stitch-up on AI regulation. Shadow ministers Jonno Duniam and Aaron Violi said in a statement that AI was too important to become an unnecessarily partisan political contest, promising to engage constructively for an enduring and multipartisan approach. Earlier this week, Labor announced it would set up a new AI safety regulator and impose six key obligations on AI companies after a breach of government sites by OpenAI, with the full AI package expected before the end of the year.