Screen Producers Australia today welcomes the renewed commitment of the Minister for the Arts, Hon Tony Burke, to growing Australia’s screen industry through a legislated investment obligation on global streaming platforms to be set out in Australia’s new National Cultural Policy, to be released in Melbourne tomorrow.
“Today’s media reports that indicate legislation will be passed this year to implement this policy is exciting and very welcome news for the screen industry,” said SPA CEO Matt Deaner.
“If done right, this will not only secure our industry but also mark the start of a cultural resurgence in bringing Australian screen stories to audiences here and abroad. That is an incredible legacy to build for the nation.”
“The release of a new National Cultural Policy is a landmark event for Australia’s creative industries, and SPA congratulates Minister Burke and all involved in the development of this.”
“Arts and culture underpin national well-being and cultural identity. As well as being an important economic industry, they help to build a more compassionate and tolerant society. Culture is the core of our nationhood,” said Mr.Deaner.
SPA has long advocated for a content obligation of 20% of major streaming platform revenue to be applied to Australian screen stories. This will return some of the income generated from Australian subscribers back to the content they want.
Under the banner of the “Make it Australian” campaign, this proposal has been widely supported across the screen industry and recommended through the findings in combinations of six distinct Government and Parliamentary reviews, with the most recent 2021 Parliamentary inquiry endorsing a 20% investment.
A revenue requirement fits well with the fluctuating, on-demand nature of streaming and, at 20%, is consistent with the regulation in comparable nations with strong domestic film industries and cultural heritage, such as France and Italy.
The benefit of a legislated obligation is the certainty and confidence it will provide to a high-risk industry and in giving Australian audiences guaranteed access to their own stories and culture, irrespective of business decisions being made offshore in the USA. Without regulation, a downward trend in Australian screen stories will be unchecked.
“There’s some critical detail now to be negotiated between industry and government that will affect whether this policy delivers what is needed for Australian screen culture and industry,” said Mr. Deaner.
“This includes what is counted as “Australian content” and whether that definition meets the objectives of the new Australian National Cultural Policy and public expectations.”
“Getting this right is no simple matter. There’s a world of cultural difference between “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “The Drovers Wife,” both of which were supported by Australian taxpayers,” said Mr Deaner.
SPA has also advocated for other important integrity measures, including no double-counting across platforms, with each hour of newly commissioned content to only be counted once between different content platforms and a cap of 20% on how much of a content obligation can be allocated within vertically integrated businesses. As an important integrity measure that will avoid distortions to the value of the investment requirement.
SPA also believe that ownership of intellectual property and rights in Australian screen stories should revert to the creator after a fixed period of three years. This keeps Australian stories under Australian creative control and puts a block on the loss of valuable Australian cultural rights overseas.
Media Release – Screen Producers Australia
