The Liberal senator's position
Liberal Senator Andrew McLachlan has raised the alarm over his party's and the Labor government's approach to artificial intelligence, calling for artists' copyright not to be sacrificed to attract investment and for the construction of new data centres not to be put ahead of environmental concerns. The Guardian Australia reports this. According to McLachlan, works created by artists must not be sacrificed on the altar of multinational corporate profit, and their property rights must be respected and protected. He also described it as unthinkable that a nation could value the machine more than the beauty created by the artist.
The senator said that artists' work nourishes the soul of the country and that priority must be given to art over the demands of large technology companies. In his view, the principle of fair pay for fair work must not be forgotten in the era of social media platforms, data centres and artificial intelligence. McLachlan acknowledges that AI offers significant opportunities to the country, but argues that if there are trade-offs, the costs must be clearly articulated and understood.
The copyright question and the changes under consideration
The Labor government is considering changes to copyright as part of an AI policy package that includes data centres, online safety, energy resources and economic benefits. McLachlan's position strengthens possible constitutional challenges according to which a weakening of copyright law could amount to unlawful acquisition of property. The senator added that any compensation mechanisms must be considered case by case for each artist, because it would be difficult to guarantee the fairness of a system valid for the entire sector.
The demands of AI companies also enter the picture. According to The Guardian, some companies have refused to sign agreements under existing copyright rules, arguing that it is too difficult, and are demanding legal certainty before investing in Australia. Anthropic is said to have proposed an opt-out model that would allow it to collect music, books and journalism unless the rights holder objects. Leading voices in the music industry have raised the alarm over any change that weakens the current law. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has previously said it would be theft if creatives were not paid for their work.
Data centres, the environment and the package's timetable
On the environmental front, McLachlan, who has spoken forcefully on conservation issues, said that data centres must not be built at the expense of biodiversity and that sustainable ways to build sovereign AI capacity must be explored. His position is summed up in his statement that he chooses real forests over virtual ones. The growth of data centres in Australia is expected to increase emissions and energy costs for households, prompting opposition from environmental groups and some communities.
The debate features cross-party positions. Labor and the Coalition largely agree on AI-related issues, and Senator David Pocock has complained of a backroom deal between the two major parties on regulation. Coalition colleagues Ross Cadell and Michaelia Cash have backed the music industry's concerns, while other party figures have called for a multipartisan approach. The government has announced the establishment of a new AI safety regulator and six key obligations for companies, after a breach of government websites by OpenAI. The AI package is expected before the end of the year.
