AGSC advocacy on Screen Production Incentives Legislation 2021
The Government has drafted a bill of proposed changes to our tax laws that affect screen production incentives including the following:
- Producer Offset
- Post, Digital and Visual Effects (PDV) Offset
- Qualifying Expenditure Thresholds for accessing the Offsets.
These measures affect the ability of productions to claim the expenditure which allows them to be viable and create the documentaries, low budget films and other content which underpin the Australian screen production output.
Note: Antony is speaking from 15:35:00, and this the final session of the day.
The Treasury Laws Amendment Bill and Schedule 1 Measures
December 2021 Update
Historic Victory for the advocacy of our industry
After twelve months of intense lobbying by the Australian Guild of Screen Composers and APRA AMCOS, in partnership with producers, writers, directors and the documentary, post-production and visual effects screen sector, new legislation will see a significant boost to local screen production, and enhance the livelihoods of screen composers.
Yesterday parliament passed legislation that not only increased the Producer Offset for television productions from 20 to 30 per cent but also removed proposed amendments that stood to adversely affect the telling of so many important Australian stories.
The Bill includes a welcomed a measure to increase the Producer Offset for eligible films not released in cinemas (aka by the screen industry as television content) from 20% to 30%, alongside the removal of the 65 hour cap for scripted content as qualifying expenditure. Other measures that were retained were the Gallipoli Clause, the current qualifying expenditure thresholds of $500K for documentary and post-production. The cap on copyright material able to be claimed against the offset has been increased to 50% of overall budget for the next 2 years, a welcome relief from the proposed 30% cap.
- Read all about this historic win for the screen sector in the joint AGSC and APRA AMCOS Media Statement HERE
Other Media:
Media: Local TV and Film wins as government agrees to more generous tax breaks – SMH 1 Nov 2021
August 2021 update
The Government issued the Treasury Laws Amendment (2021 Measures No. 5) Bill 2021 in early August 2021, following a Draft Exposure Bill in May. The Bill was passed by the Lower House of Representatives on 10 August. The Bill is being reviewed by the Senate Committee for the Environment and Communications in preparation for the Senate vote after 20 August 2021. Key to this Bill is the increase from 20% to 30% for the Producer Offset applying to eligible films not released in cinemas.
The AGSC made a joint submission with APRA AMCOS in response to the Bill and is a signatory on a combined submission from the Australian Screen Industry Guilds and Associations network (ASIGA).
On 20 August 2021, the AGSC and APRA AMCOS were invited to participate a witnesses to a Senate Committee Hearing for this Bill. Four panels of industry representatives spoke during the 3 hour hearing, with Antony Partos representing the AGSC. Dean Ormston from APRA AMCOS supported us by speaking directly with Senators, letting them know why this Bill should not pass in its present form.
We are urging the Senate to not vote for the Bill with all the detrimental measures included, but to vote for a Bill which keeps the 30% offset increase and the removal of 65 episode cap, and OMITS the rest, so it can pass through parliament.
TAKE ACTION!
September 2021
Write to your local MP or Senator and voice your concerns about these issues before it’s too late!
Screen Production Incentives & the Treasury Laws Amendment (2021 Measures No. 5) Bill 2021
The Bill has been to a Senate committee Enquiry and is still under review.
The screen industry is in agreement that this Bill should not be voted on in its present form, without more industry consultation and removal of measures that will have a very negative effect on production and investment.
Please take a few minutes to write to your local Senator and voice your concerns using the template as a guide. Tell your story in your own words, including how you will be affected by the proposed changes.
Download our templates to:
and
May 2021 Update
The Government issued the Treasury Laws Amendments (2021 Measures No. 5) Draft Exposure Bill in May 2021.
The AGSC responded in a joint submission with APRA AMCOS as well as a combined submission from the ASIGA network. We advocated for reforms that would support a sustainable industry by raising the non-feature films Producer Offset from 20% to 30%. In addition, maintaining qualifying expenditure thresholds to allow lower budget productions to claim the offset, which includes the majority of stand alone and series documentaries, as well as low-budget feature films.
Media: Feature Documentary makers in desperate fight to protect funding