Jennifer Mills calls for national cultural policy to support Australian writers

Jennifer Mills, Chair of the Australian Society of Authors, argues that Australia's next National Cultural Policy must address AI theft, copyright enforcement, freedom of expression, direct funding, and workers' rights for writers. She highlights that most writers face burnout, debt, and precarious work, with many leaving Australia. Mills welcomes the establishment of Writing Australia and the government's line against a Text and Data Mining exemption for AI, but criticizes insufficient enforcement. She cites the cancellation of Adelaide Writers' Week 2026 and the community-led Constellations/Not Writers Week as evidence of unsustainable reliance on unpaid labor. Mills calls for more fellowships like the Creative Australia Fellowship she received, tax-free thresholds for creative income, and a basic income for artists, referencing Ireland's successful pilot. The public consultation runs until 24 May 2025.