Labour’s proposed streaming levy and tech issues in the Health Sector w/ the ACT Party’s Simon Court: 19th January, 2026

Last week, the Labour party announced plans to put a levy on large streaming companies, if elected. This levy would fund local TV and film projects, which the party says have seen significant cuts in recent years. The ACT party criticised the policy, claiming that the levy would be passed directly onto consumers.

ManageMyHealth breach and multiple IT outages last week have brought into question the state of tech in the health sector. The government has been criticised for cutting funding to IT services, leading to fewer workers and inconsistent systems. 

For our weekly catchup with ACT’s Simon Court, News and Editorial Director Castor asked about each of these issues, beginning with Labour’s proposed streaming levy.