By Karim Hammam
Discontent is growing in Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's inner-west Sydney electorate of Grayndler as artists and creatives unite against a federal government proposal that would allow AI companies to scrape Australian creative works by default.
Creative heartland faces AI threat
Grayndler hosts more than 3,000 cultural and creative businesses, with 10% of its workforce employed in creative fields — more than double the national average. Albanese has held the seat for three decades, often citing its vibrant live music, theatre and artist spaces.
Government weighs copyright overhaul
Labor is considering copyright reforms as part of a broader AI policy suite that includes data centres, energy and the economy. While Albanese has promised “the strongest possible protection” for creators, AI companies have argued that licensing under current law is too difficult. Anthropic has suggested an opt-out model that would permit scraping unless rightsholders object, a move critics say amounts to a government-backed acquisition of creative property.
Artists warn of ecosystem collapse
At Tortuga Studios, a 19-year-old artist-run hub in St Peters, creators say the proposal risks decimating the local creative ecosystem. Author and curator H Morgan-Harris said her copywriting work has already been heavily affected by AI, calling the government’s latest plan “insane” and warning that artists are “the first to be thrown under the bus.”
Opt-out model denounced as outrageous
Designer Lu Campbell-Smith, who uses AI in her practice, said being forced to opt out is “outrageous” and treats Australia as a test market for exploitation. Screenprinter and Greens councillor Pete Strong described AI as an “extraction industry mining for profit for the few” and said the inner west is pushing back against both the proposed data centre at Cooks Cove and the copyright changes.
Industry sees theft of collective labour
Jason Zoidberg, co-founder of Monster Mouse Studios in Marrickville, said AI companies have already stolen the “collective labour” of artists without consequence. He called it “utterly crazy” that the government would give them a green light, though he noted a surge in interest in traditional, hands-on art forms as a backlash against social media and AI.
Political challenge emerges
Grayndler has long been an ultra-safe Labor seat, but Albanese will face independent candidate Hannah Ferguson, co-founder of Cheek Media, at the next federal election. Recent Essential polling shows Albanese’s disapproval rating at 56%, the equal highest since he took office, suggesting his popularity may be waning in his own backyard.
