Netflix, Disney, and other streamers hit with Australian content quotas
The Bluey 'Mumbrella', which we have chosen not to sue over
Netflix, Disney, Amazon and other streaming services will be forced to allocate a portion of their local revenue to producing Australian content, under new legislation to be introduced by the Albanese Government.
The proposed laws will mandate streaming services with more than one million Australian subscribers to invest either 10% of its total local expenditure — or 7.5% of total revenue — on new local drama, children’s, documentary, arts, or educational programs.
The legislation is part of the government’s landmark National Cultural Policy—Revive, a five-year plan announced in early 2023 with an aim to renew and revive Australia’s arts, entertainment and cultural sector.
Gross Conduct?
In a nutshell are we calculating the percentage from the gross or the net. The Studios are notorious at hiding costs. Also, this will only support the cottage industry we have now if it specifies what international input is possible, ie how many stars can be added etc to guarantee success both here and overseas. It is presumed Screen Australia and the offset will still be key but how many masters will producers have?
If we expect the studios to adhere to these rules there has to be a commercial upside for them, not simply to pay a tax. Having said that the streamers have to become totally transparent as buyers and not the Fort Knox Ivory Towers they hide in now. Come out come out wherever you are, and that goes for the ABC and the FtA’s.
Timing: this comes just after Albo’s meetings with Trump, so didn’t impact on the good meetings he had.
Movie example: they should insist that spending is via Aus production companies – not just spend in the country. One could argue that a streamer paying a US ProdCo for the licence is not spending in Aus.