In the 1990s the artistic autonomy of the territorial subsidiaries of the major record companies increased. Local scale “cultural freedom” did not mitigate the role of national regulation, with the music industry remaining bound by regulation imposed by agencies representing nation-states. National-scale policy rhetoric highlighting the need for “cultural protection” focused attention away from an interest in the economics of popular music, a balance evident in policies of Australian federal governments. In seeking to increase the export potential of locally produced music, Australian governments have come to hold an important place in the political economy of contemporary Australian music.