David Moncrieff (Hughes, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Australians have changed the way they consume their media. There's been a significant decline in the number of people who watch live broadcast television free to air. The year 2024 marked a key milestone in Australia's viewing habits, with fewer than half of Australians watching live free-to-air TV for the first time at only 46 per cent, down from 52 per cent in 2023. This was accompanied by a decline in the average time spent viewing broadcast television, down to 4.8 hours a week in 2024 from 5.6 hours a week in 2023.

Australians have shifted the way they consume their content, but two things have not shifted: Australians' desire for a strong Australian arts and media sector and the legislative landscape for subscription video on demand. Right now, free-to-air broadcasters have Australian content requirements. Pay TV has Australian content requirements. Streaming services do not. This gap means Australian stories are being overshadowed by a global library of content created elsewhere. That's why I'm so happy to support the Communications Legislation Amendment (Australian Content Requirement for Subscription Video On Demand (Streaming) Services) Bill 2025.

This is practical legislation that will strengthen our cultural sector and deliver clear benefits for communities like mine in southern Sydney. Fifty-sex per cent of Australians believe the arts benefits their wellbeing, but half of Australians are not attending arts events as much as they would like, with cost and location cited as significant barriers to arts attendance. It's clear that Australians want access to arts, entertainment and media right here in Australia. This legislation aims to ensure that we maintain a significant arts and culture industry in Australia.

Streaming services really took off around the world during the mid- to late-2010s. It was an enormous opportunity for regulatory reform for those who were in government during that time to ensure that Australians were positioned to take advantage of this transition in consumption. Did we have a government during those years that was innovative and forward thinking? Unfortunately not. We had those opposite in government. While overseas companies were swooping into Australia to take advantage of these changes, those opposite did nothing to ensure that Australians would benefit from it. In a challenging landscape, Australian streamers like Presto and Quickflix collapsed.

On top of that, those opposite butchered the arts sector. The 2014 federal budget slashed almost $60 million of the arts and cultural development funding and also slashed about $68 million from Screen Australia and the Australia Council—cuts that devastated the arts community and shattered the trust of artists and creative workers across this nation that Australia was a place where a career as an artist could be built. Those opposite's efforts damaged the industry. They sought to create an environment where the arts couldn't flourish, just as they sought to create an environment where manufacturing couldn't flourish. They dared our manufacturers to go offshore, and that's exactly what our vehicle manufacturers did. Those efforts almost did the same to the arts sector. As a brother to one of those in the creative sector, I know how much value is added to our society by the arts sector and how devastated the arts community were to know that the Liberal-National government didn't see their value.

Fortunately, the Australian people rejected this antediluvian and backward-thinking approach. They elected an Albanese Labor government to bring back an Australia where creativity and the arts could flourish. In its first 12 months in office, the Albanese Labor government released its national cultural policy, aptly named Revive. Revive is structured around five interconnected pillars, which set out the government's strategic objectives. Firstly, it puts First Nations first, recognising and respecting the crucial place of First Nations stories at the centre of Australia's arts and culture. Secondly, it allows a place for every story, reflecting the breadth of our stories and the contribution of all Australians as creators of culture. Thirdly, it recognises centrality of the artist, supporting the artist as a worker and celebrating artists as creators. Fourthly, it provides strong cultural infrastructure, providing support across the spectrum of institutions which sustain our arts, culture and heritage. Finally, it engages the audience, making sure our stories connect with people at home and abroad. This bill builds on the structure put in place through the national cultural policy.

For so many in my electorate, arts are an important part of life. In September, I had the opportunity to met with Eric Nash of Glasshouse Productions, a local filmmaker from the Sutherland shire. Eric wrote, directed and produced the feature film Love You Like That and shot it entirely in the shire. Starring Mitchell Hope and comedy great Steph Tisdell, the film celebrated our local area on screen and achieved national success, screening in over 90 cinemas. It's now streaming in the USA, Canada, the UK and here in Australia, proudly showcasing the beauty and heart of the Sutherland shire to international audiences.

Hughes is a photogenic place. We have the beauty of Bundeena, the marvels of Maianbar, the rare beauty of the Royal National Park, the spectacular Simmos Beach, the healthy hum of the Heathcote National Park, the gentle run of the Georges River and a thriving and healthy koala population. Hughes has a lot to offer, and Australia has a lot to offer the world of film, television and streaming. However, local gems of films like Love You Like That struggle to get the national spotlight in an environment that favours big international players. I'm sure, Deputy Speaker Georganas, that you will be rushing home to stream it online as soon as you're out the chair, now that you know what it has to offer, but other content isn't so fortunate.

When Australian film and television is allowed to shine, we know that it is highly successful on the world stage. Programs like Bluey have children all around the world saying, 'Airport? I'm not going to the airport,' in an Australian accent. Colin from Accounts brought to the screen the relatable situation of falling asleep on the T4 and waking up at Waterfall and dared to imagine a world in which Waterfall had a big Chinese restaurant. Mad Max: Fury Road had fans all around 'witness' it. This is what Australian cinema can achieve when it's given a fair go. Our films goes straight to the pool room!

But the media landscape has been stacked against Australian creators for too long. This bill builds on the government's efforts to change that. Families in Barden Ridge, Hammondville and Macquarie Fields gather at home in the evenings to watch dramas and documentaries. They love David Attenborough, as we all do, but they also want to hear Australian voices telling Australian stories that matter to Australians. That's why this bill matters to people in Hughes. It ensures that, no matter what screen they choose to watch, there is guaranteed access to Australian productions that reflect our identity and our values.

This bill is straightforward. It requires major streaming services with over one million Australian subscribers to invest at least 10 per cent of their total program expenditure into new Australian commissions or first-release acquisitions of eligible program formats. These formats include drama, children's content, documentary, arts and educational programs. Alternatively, services may choose the option of investing 7.5 per cent of their gross Australian revenue. Without a new tax and without a new levy, it's a simple requirement to reinvest a small part of the value these platforms derive from the Australian public back into Australian stories. It mirrors arrangements that already exist for other broadcasters and ensures Australians will continue to see themselves represented on screen.

Australia has always played an important global role in the film industry. The first full-length narrative feature film was created right here. On Boxing Day 1906, The Story of the Kelly Gang opened at the Athenaeum theatre in Melbourne. It was the first multi-reel, feature-length film ever produced in the world, and it was produced right here. So our history of the film industry is long and important, and for the people of Hughes this bill does several important things.

Firstly, it strengthens local industries. Our area is home to producers, editors, animators and creatives who work across the screen sector. Many residents commute into the city each day to work in production houses, studios or digital design firms. This bill helps secure jobs for these workers by giving producers more certainty that local content will be commissioned.

Secondly, it supports small business. Sydney is home to businesses that supply equipment, post-production services, sound design and filming support. When Australian productions increases, these businesses grow. It means jobs in our local communities. It means the growth of local spending. That's of direct economic benefit for Hughes.

Thirdly, it supports young people. There are thousands of young creatives in Hughes. Students in schools across the Sutherland shire, Liverpool and Campbelltown LGAs study media, film and performing arts. They are capable. They are ambitious. They are eager to contribute to an industry that feels increasingly global and competitive. By increasing Australian commissions, we give these students clearer pathways for their careers and more opportunities to develop skills close to home.

Lastly, this bill ensures strong and continued representation for all Australians. The Hughes community is very diverse. Families from many cultural backgrounds call Hughes home, and Australians want these stories, the stories of modern Australia, reflected on screen. Residents bring perspectives shaped by their heritage, their personal histories and their connection to local places. If we want a future Australia to feel seen and understood, our screens must reflect that diversity. The current market does not always guarantee this, but this bill introduces a stable requirement that improves representation and supports stories that come from communities like ours.

The bill amends the Broadcasting Services Act to introduce Australian content requirements for subscription video-on-demand services. It also makes consequential amendments to the ACMA Act so that the authority can administer these obligations. It establishes clear rules, including a three-year carryover period for expenditure and a statutory review after four years to ensure the scheme is working as intended. This balances certainty with accountability. Services have flexibility to manage expenditure across years, while the public can trust that the system will be evaluated and improved over time. The requirement only applies to major services with more than one million Australian subscribers. It excludes platforms that feature predominantly user-generated content, services that rely solely on advertising or those with limited appeal. It ensures the scheme targets the largest players without burdening small platforms.

This legislation also protects the public by imposing civil penalties for breaches. When rules exist, they must be enforceable. The ACMA will have powers to determine classes of expenditure and revenue and to request notifications from service providers. These delegated powers are made through disallowable instruments, which protects parliamentary oversight.

In relation to why the level of regulation is necessary where the market already produces Australian content, the answer is simple: without clear requirements, local content becomes vulnerable to fluctuations in global investments. Large platforms commission programs from many countries at once, and decisions are not always made with the Australian public in mind. Our content can be deprioritised or replaced with cheaper imports. Over time, this has the potential to erode the presence to Australian voices. A stable requirement ensures that, even as technology changes, our identity is not diluted.

Residents in Hughes want Australian stories on their screens. They want Australian children to grow up watching Australian programs that reflect their lives and surroundings. They want an arts and cultural sector that offers good jobs and strong career pathways. They want the creative talent in south-west Sydney and the Sutherland Shire to be supported, not overshadowed. This bill responds to those expectations. It supports economic development. It strengthens cultural expression and representation. It gives certainty to creators and businesses. It ensures major global companies that benefit from Australian audiences contribute meaningfully to Australian storytelling.

The people of Hughes are passionate, diverse and proud to be Australian, and they want their stories reflected. They value fairness and contribution. The expect that, when a service operates in Australia and profits from Australian households, it also invests in Australian culture. This bill meets that expectation in a balanced, proportionate and effective way. Australians love their television. They love their film. This bill gives Australians the opportunity to love Australian film and media like that. I commend this bill to the House.

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