SPA requests more funding for pubcasters, Screen Aus as pre-election lobbying for streamer regulation continues

Screen Producers Australia (SPA) has called for increased government funding for national screen institutions including Screen Australia and the ABC to prevent Australian stories being “drowned out” by foreign content.

Matthew Deaner

The SPA has released its Policy Platform for 2025, titled ‘Make It Australian: Give Our Stories a Fair Go,’ which sets out its key priorities as the country gears up to go to the polls in a federal election before May 17.

SPA is calling for an injection of additional funding that will strengthen public broadcasters and lead to more independently made Australian shows, across all key genres conditional on fair commissioning practices, plus additional funds to support Screen Australia to develop local stories and foster creative entrepreneurship.

For international streamers, SPA continues to agitate for the introduction of a “flexible and fair” local content investment obligation for streaming platforms, tied to their revenue or subscribers.

It also wants intellectual property protections to be strengthened to “keep Australian stories in Australian hands” and ensure its independent screen businesses thrive to maintain Aussie cultural sovereignty.

SPA chief executive Matthew Deaner said: “Our highest priority is to ensure Australian screen stories get a fair go through local content rules for streaming platforms. It has been disappointing and frustrating for the industry that this policy has been stuck in limbo for the past few years, meaning Australian screen stories are getting harder and harder for our audiences to find.”

Deaner affirmed the importance of public broadcasters as they are the “only platforms that have a legislated role in prioritising our national identity and serving audiences on a free-to-air basis.”

SPA’s policy objectives also aim to ensure that the framework of screen incentives are fit-for-purpose to attract investment, keep production local and maximise benefits for Australian creatives.

In a bid to bolster local production, SPA is calling for an increase of the Producer Offset for TV to align it with feature films, particularly children’s content.

The 2025 policy remit was based on wide consultation with SPA members to identify issues that will be lobbied for support from the main political parties and candidates during the election campaign.

“We cannot stand by and watch our precious screen industry fade slowly into obscurity, abandoning decades of creative and technical achievement that is world-renowned. It’s way past time for policymakers to come to terms with the changes brought about by the shift to online streaming platforms that have upended our sector and changed our business forever,” Deaner added.