Almost 18 months after the original deadline passed, the federal government is moving forward with Australia’s content obligations for streaming services.
A bill before Parliament would require streaming services with more than one million subscribers in Australia to invest at least 10 per cent of their total spending in Australia, or 7.5 per cent of their revenue, in new local drama, children’s, documentaries, arts and educational programming.
This comes almost two-and-a-half years after Arts Secretary Tony Burke first outlined a July 1, 2024 deadline for the long-awaited obligations in the National Culture Policy, and extensive consultations with streamers, free-to-air broadcasters and various guilds began.
By the end of 2023, the government appeared to have achieved its target and sought feedback from industry on two models, one revenue-based and one expenditure-based.
The deadline was then allowed to pass, despite the Government’s Senate Committee on National Cultural Policy’s interim report recommending that quotas be introduced as a priority. The impact of the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA) is believed to be one of the main reasons for the delay.
The issue came to the fore last week when independent MP Zali Steggall launched the Change.org Save Australia Story petition in Parliament. A subsequent press conference in Parliament House was attended by Brian Brown, Marta Dusseldorp, Rob Collins, Rhys Muldoon, Matt Day and Brooke Satchwell, who spoke about the importance of protecting and promoting Australian stories on screen.
Minister Burke said the bill would “make Australian stories instantly available no matter which remote control you have”.
“We should never underestimate how important it is for Australians to see ourselves on screen. It helps us better understand ourselves and our neighbors, and it helps the world see us,” he said.
“Free-to-air TV and pay TV have Australian content requirements, but until now there was no guarantee that you could watch your home country’s stories on streaming services.
“Since its introduction in Australia, streaming services have produced some great programming and this mandate will ensure those stories – our stories – continue to be produced.
“These platforms have no problem bringing content to Australia.”
Communications Minister Annika Wells said in a statement that the government wanted to make sure Australian news was part of the viewing experience, regardless of platform.
“Many streamers are already producing great Australian shows such as Apple Cider Vinegar, The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Boy Swallows Universe. This announcement will ensure shows like this remain part of our national identity,” she said.
“A landmark day for the Australian film industry”
The announcement has already been welcomed by screen industry stakeholders, some of whom have been lobbying for the legislation well before the current administration.
Screen Producers Australia CEO Matthew Diener said the initiative was the culmination of years of advocacy work.
“This announcement marks a landmark day for the Australian film industry,” he said.
“For too long, our local production sector has operated in an unequal environment, allowing global streaming services to reap the benefits of doing business in Australia without contributing fairly to the creation of Australian stories.[This announcement]recognizes that Australian stories matter and they deserve to be seen and heard on every platform.”
AWG CEO Claire Pullen also praised the government’s desire to “secure the future of Australian content”.
“Our members work in a volatile market where streaming platforms wield enormous power,” she said.
“Even though streaming has become the dominant way to watch shows and movies, the gap between broadcast and streaming is widening when it comes to how we give back to our communities and local industries.”
For APRA AMCOS chief executive Dean Ormston, the initiative represented “an important new opportunity for Australian music creators”.
“This is a great first step for Australia, once again putting us at the forefront of regulation in a global content market where great local stories and local music can be drowned out by content from major overseas markets,” he said.
“Importantly, this obligation includes a requirement to spend on post-production in Australia, opening the door for Australian film composers and local music to play a central role in telling our stories.”
*Updated
