Facebook to restore blocked Australian news pages 'in the coming days'

The Facebook feeds of 13 million Australians will soon show local news content once again after an agreement was reached between the Federal Government and the social media giant.

Facebook confirmed yesterday afternoon it intended to restore Australian news pages "in the coming days" following amendments to the News Media and Digital Bargaining Code.

It comes nearly a week after all Australian news pages were blocked from sharing content and all users banned from sharing links to Australian news sources.

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Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said he was taking commitments made yesterday with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg "very seriously".

"He said that he was going to enter into good faith negotiations with the Australian news media businesses to reach these commercial deals and we saw the product of that engagement just yesterday," Mr Frydenberg told Today.

"Now, we hope to see more deals in coming days."

Mr Frydenberg said Facebook's actions last week were "heavy-handed and unnecessary".

"There's been a series of complex and difficult negotiations but the outcome of that is that we will see commercial deals and also Australian news media content back on the Facebook platform and that is a good thing."

He said a number of "clarifications" were made to the code to reach the deal with Facebook.

"We also made it clear that, before final arbitration, which was one of the mechanisms in the code, there would be a period of mediation," Mr Frydenberg said. 

"Before I, as the Treasurer, designate one of the digital platforms to which the code will apply, I would give them one month's notice and also ahead of making any decision about designating a particular digital platform under the code, I would take into account the commercial deals that have been put in place."

Communications Minister Paul Fletcher said it was important social media giants working in Australia complied with "the law of the land".

"The intention of the news media bargaining code is that where the digital platforms are using content, paid for and generated by Australian news media businesses, it costs money to employ journalists and to have editorial policies to fact check, if that content is being used by the digital platforms, they should pay for it," he said.

"The Australian Government has been very clear on that principle."

In response to questions over whether Facebook could be trusted to uphold their side of the agreement, Mr Fletcher said: "We will be watching very carefully to make sure they live up to that commitment."

"If you do business in Australia you need to comply with the law of the land in Australia."