PM on search rescue mission

Clicks with Google chief

GOOGLE looks more likely to remain in Australia after Scott Morrison held “constructive” talks with the tech giant’s chief executive on Thursday.

The Prime Minister and Communications Minister Paul Fletcher discussed the government’s media bargaining code with Google chief Sundar Pichai.

The proposal has met fierce resistance from Google, which has threatened to prevent Australian users from accessing its search engine.

Despite the threat, the federal government has pushed ahead with its plan to make tech giants, including Google and Facebook, pay Australian media outlets for news content they generate.

But Mr Morrison said after Thursday’s “constructive” talks he was more optimistic about Google remaining in Australia.

“I have been able to send them the best possible signals that should give them great encouragement to engage with the process and see them conclude with the various news organisations,” he said.

“We discussed some of the specifics of elements of the code. They raised those matters, I think, very respectfully.”

Mr Morrison said he had made it clear Australia would not kowtow to the companies.

“At the end of the day, they understand that Australia sets the rules for how these things operate,” he said.

The government was buoyed on Wednesday when Microsoft backed the code.

The US software giant claimed it would step into the void if Google carried out its threat, saying its own search engine, Bing, could replace it.

Microsoft president Brad Smith claimed it would “take us a few months, but not years” to get up to speed here.

“We know that we can invest in a way that will bring Bing and its search quality and its services for businesses on a par with what people get from Google today,” Mr Smith said.

“We will need to invest, and we will. It will take us a few months, but not years. It will not be a small investment.”

Google recently directed users of its search engine to a video of Australia and NZ managing director Mel Silva declaring the proposed law would “break” its business model. The link has since been removed.

The Australian Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology director Peter Lewis told a senate committee on Monday “Chairman Mao would have approved” of the tactics of Google, which was prepared to “kill one to warn a hundred”.