Government proposes to reduce anti-siphoning list by 100 events

The Turnbull Government wants to remove 100 sporting events from its anti-siphoning list as part of a wider media reforms package it announced today.

The anti-siphoning scheme aims to ensure that sporting events “of cultural or national significance remain freely available to all Australian viewers” by preventing subscription broadcasters from acquiring the rights to events on the list until the events are acquired by a free-to-air broadcaster, or are automatically removed from the list 12 weeks before they commence.

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield: Australians can be confident that they will still be able to access the events that they want

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has said it is important to recognise the list is not “an exhaustive and complete list of every sporting event in Australia”.