What are the issues?
The Federal government is moving to change the rules that shape Australia’s screen and television broadcast industries. Australian content obligations for broadcasters and SVODs as well as tax incentives for producers are a key focus.
White Paper on Content Reform – 2020
In 2020, the government asked for feedback on a policy options paper to inform its decision. The industry responded in great numbers, including a joint response from the AGSC and APRA AMCOS, as well as the AGSC being a signatory to a combined Screen Guilds and Associations submission.
Since then, on 30 September 2020, just before the new budget was released, the Arts Minister, Paul Fletcher via the Department of Communications issued a media release announcing proposed reforms that DO NOT GO FAR ENOUGH to ensure a sustainable industry, particularly for Screen Composers, protection of our IP and ensuring we are employed or contracted on Australian productions funded by taxpayer funds. We issued our own Media Statement together with APRA AMCOS, urging the government to re-consider the proposed reforms.
A significant victory was achieved in April 2021, when the Government announced a backflip on the proposal to reduce the Producer Offset for feature films from 40% to 30%. This victory followed significant lobbying from the screen sector, however many of the reforms are still due to pass through legislation in mid 2021.
Release of the Green Paper for policy and comment
Green Paper on Media Reforms – 2021
In November 2020, the Government released its Green Paper on Media Reform for Modernising Television Regulation in Australia. This Paper proposed reforms across broadcast spectrums, licensing, content regulation and significantly, obligations on subscription streaming services (SVODs) and Advertising video services (AVODs) to invest in Australian content.
Alongside our colleagues in other guilds and APRA AMCOS, the AGSC believes that a number of the proposed reforms still do not go far enough to ensure a sustainable and healthy industry for our members. In response, the AGSC has written a joint submission with APRA AMCOS to address these concerns. We are also a signatory to a letter from the combined Guilds and Associations network (ASIG) that also addresses guild and association concerns for their members relating to the Paper’s proposals.
Download and read the published Green Paper here. The AGSC also welcomes comments from our members that can form part of any guild official submissions in the future. Please email us at agsc@agsc.org.au, including your submissions.
How you can take action
Join your screen industry colleagues in the MAKE IT AUSTRALIAN campaign formed in 2017, working to unite directors, producers, writers, screen composers, editors, designers, actors, HODs and crews to support a sustainable industry.
Write to the Prime Minister and your local MP using the easy email template below to let them know that our Australian stories need to be told, and need strong rules and support to continue reaching audiences.