The Australian Writers’ Guild in collaboration with Audible, the world’s leading provider and producer of audiobooks and spoken word entertainment, and with support from Screen Australia, have launched an exciting new podcast competition and development opportunity for Australian writers.

The Great Australian Binge gives the Australian public the chance to vote online for the Australian film or show they’ve loved watching in lockdown and sign a petition calling on Arts Minister Paul Fletcher to do more to support the people who make the entertainment Australia loves.

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, many theatre producers have been looking to stream recorded versions or live readings of plays. While the Australian Writers’ Guild is supportive of these initiatives, we also want to ensure that playwrights are being treated fairly.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the financial sustainability of our national television broadcasters, the Morrison Government today announced a suspension of content obligations until the end of this calendar year.

At a time when productions such as The Voice, Clickbait and Australia’s Got Talent, along with a number of Australian scripted dramas are shutting down in order to comply with public health warnings, organisations representing Australia’s independent producers, directors, writers, casts and crews today wrote to the Government seeking urgent support for the Australian screen industry.