AWG at Parliament House

24 March, 2021

Last week, Australian Writers’ Guild President Shane Brennan and former President Jan Sardi AO campaigned at Parliament House, Canberra, for the protection of Australian feature film production and the overdue regulation of streaming services. They lobbied alongside industry leaders and representatives from SPA, MEAA and ADG, under the banner of Make It Australian.  

Based on international precedent, AWG is calling for streaming services such as Netflix, Stan and Amazon Prime to invest 20% of their locally sourced revenue in the production of new Australian content. Leah Purcell, AWG member and writer, producer, director and actor in The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson made a stirring statement. 

Minister for Communications Paul Fletcher will shortly introduce a bill to the House that proposes to change the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 in order to amend the Australian Screen Production Incentive. AWG is working to educate local MPs on the impact the Government’s proposed changes will have on the local feature film industry. 

AWG aims to block or modify the following:

  • Reduction of feature film producer offset from 40% to 30% (while the TV producer offset will be increased from 20% to 30%)
  • Removal of the feature film Gallipoli clause (which allows feature film producers to claim for expenditure on Australian story elements shot offshore)
  • Increase in minimum expenditure thresholds for feature-length content from $500,000 to $1,000,000 (to be eligible for the producer offset)
  • Reduction in subscription TV’s investment in local content (down from 10% to 5% of its drama expenditure) from 1 July 2021

KEEN TO KNOW MORE?

  • NSW Committee Chair Gina Roncoli will be interviewing AWG President Shane Brennan and former AWG President Jan Sardi AO in a national webinar in April.

KEEN TO HELP US LOBBY?

  • Visit Make it Australian and pledge your support.
  • AWG will be calling on members soon to contact your local MP. Watch this space.

Over recent weeks, AWG has met with:

  • Mr Trent Zimmerman MP
    • Liberal Member for North Sydney, NSW
    • Parliamentary Friend of the Screen Sector
  • Senator Sarah Hanson-Young
    • Senator for South Australia
    • Chair of Environment and Communications References Committee
    • Deputy Chair of Environment and Communications Legislation Committee
  • Senator Jacqui Lambie
    • Senator for Tasmania
  • Mr Ed Husic MP
    • Labor Member for Chifley, NSW
    • Parliamentary Friend of the Screen Sector
  • Mr Peter Khalil MP
    • Labor Member for Wills, Victoria 
    • Deputy Chair of Joint Standing Committee on Treaties
  • Hon Tony Burke MP
    • Labor Member for Watson, NSW
    • Manager of Opposition Business
  • Hon Richard Marles MP
    • Labor Member for Corio, Victoria
    • Deputy Leader of the Opposition