Screen Production Industry Policy Ledger

Today, our CEO, Matthew Deaner released the Screen Production Industry Policy Ledger. This ledger sets out policy decisions since 2014 and by effect, their impact on the small businesses that drive the industry.

This ledger sets out in stark relief the series of policy decisions made over the last 3 years that have negatively, or asymmetrically, affected the industry and in particular, the small businesses that drive it. Mr Deaner said.

Negative decisions range from the series of egregious funding cuts to the ABC, SBS and Screen Australia that has pulled $400 million from the industry, to withdrawing regulatory oversight and auditing on local content obligations.

The ledger also makes clear the other Government decisions that have had an asymmetrical impact on the industry. The Government decided to benefit certain businesses at one end of the value chain, such as the broadcasters with a series of broadcast licence fee refunds. These windfalls may boost broadcasters' share prices, but not their commitment to local content, which has declined 20 per cent for drama and documentaries over the past four years.

The Government has also moved to benefit certain elements of the local industry, such as services sector and crew with nearly $70 million in funding for foreign films Thor, Alien and Aquaman. This is welcome but the approach has not been certain or consistent or taken into account the entire production ecosystem and it ongoing sustainability.

The status quo also prejudices the industry. A lack of action on the increasing substitution of New Zealand content for Australian content by the broadcasters, co-production treaties with key markets, foreign actor red tape, offset competitiveness, evolving local content obligations and addressing significant structural competition issues in the market, compounds the hurt for the small business and hinders international trade opportunities and our industry's international competitiveness.

What the ledger demonstrates is the Government's policy approach to the local production industry looks a lot like trickle-down economics. The Government's agenda to date has been regrettably incomplete and has left out the small businesses that drive the industry.

The recent announcement of a content review is a welcome opportunity to rebalance the ledger. If the Government is committed to an efficient market and effective support mechanisms for Australian content through this review, we need to rebalance this ledger in favour of the small, nimble and agile businesses that allocate and extract most value out of the resources in the market. To ensure a diversity of Australian content, we need a diversity in supply that will ensure against a future dominated by vertically integrated content oligopolies in which Australian audiences will suffer from a lack of a diversity and choice in their programming options.

SPA looks forward to working with the Government to rebalance the ledger.

Download the policy ledger here.

Media inquiries:

James Cheatley:

james.cheatley@screenproducers.org.au

0419 482 680

Download the release.

Screen Producers Australia wants more action to help local production sector

Max Mason, Australian Financial Review, 10 July 2017

Producers unhappy over lack of govt policy action

David Knox, TV Tonight, 10 July 2017

LINK:	https://screenproducers.org.au/news/screen-production-industry-policy-...
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