Budget papers reveal cut for Screen Australia
Screen Australia – the government-funded body which helps finance Australia’s TV and film industry – has seen its budget slashed, points out Jo Caust in this crossposting from The Conversation.
The Australian arts sector has had to withstand direct cuts and reductions since the Coalition parties came into government in 2013. In particular, the budget of 2014 saw a re-direction of Australia Council funding of $103.8 million from the Council to set up then Minister Brandis’s National Program for Excellence in the Arts. However in late 2015, it was announced that $32 million of this would be returned to the Council. 
In March 2017 it was further announced by the government that a total of $61 million of the $103.8 million would be returned. But the actual amount returned was more in the region of $29 million, given amounts that were already allocated elsewhere.
As with all budget allocations, the devil is in the detail of this one. In the 2017-2018 Budget papers, it is noted that,
The [Australia] Council’s base appropriation will increase by $21.0 million, from $188.4 million to $209.4 million due to the 2017–18 Budget measure providing $20.0 million of additional funding …
I think you got the Screen Australia figure wrong. If they were cut by 18% it would be a lot more than $2.6m. I think you will find it is 3%.
Thanks for flagging this, Kingston.
You’re correct that there was an error in the 18% number. We’ve now amended the headline and copy.
Best wishes,
Tim – Mumbrella