Madonna Jarrett (Brisbane, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise in support of the Communications Legislation Amendment (Australian Content Requirement for Subscription Video On Demand (Streaming) Services) Bill 2025. When this bill passes, Australians will see more Australian produced content on their streaming services. Whether you are watching on your television, iPhone, iPad or laptop, it is important that you get to see it and that our government plays a role in supporting Australian content where it can.

The first television broadcast in Australia took place on 30 September 1929 at the Menzies Hotel in Melbourne, using the electromechanical radiovision system. That's a mouthful! After 18 months of test transmissions, regular broadcasts began in Brisbane on 6 May in 1934, using a 30-line system. That reached an estimated 18 receivers around Brisbane. The test transmissions, which were an hour's duration each day, were made from the Wickham Terrace observatory tower. The programs included news headlines, still pictures—you've got to go way, way back into the early 1900s here—and silent movies, such as the temperance film Horrors of Drink.

Since the introduction of the television in Australia, there have been a number of programs and world events that have stopped the nation and we have used the box to see them. One of the first world events was the moon landing. I can't remember that one. The second, for me, was 9/11, of which there was wall-to-wall coverage. And then who could forget the Women's World Cup quarter-final, with the Matildas versus France and that penalty shootout that had the entire nation sitting on the edge of their seats? Then there was my favourite, Cathy Freeman, with the weight of the nation on her shoulders when she came steaming home to take the 400-metre gold at the Sydney Olympics. These things are in my memory just like it was yesterday.

One of my earliest memories as a kid is of coming home from school and huddling in front of the television with my sisters to watch Skippy. The famous theme song would be playing: 'Skippy, Skippy, Skippy, the bush kangaroo.' It stood the test of time. And then, when I was a teenager, as a family we would gather around the television to watch A Country Practiceabout the lives of the locals in Wandin Valley. It was a quintessential Aussie show. Who could forget that episode that stopped the nation when Molly Jones died? There wasn't a dry eye in the lounge room. Then, on a lighter note, every Saturday we would turn on the television at 6.30 for Hey Hey It's Saturday, rolling around the floor laughing at the difference skits. Who could forget Red's face? Then there was the classic Kingswood Country. We can't forget Ted Bullpitt, who himself was a TV addict, and his absolute love of his Holden Kingswood. And then there's one that others have mentioned here before—'Kim, look at moi.' I'm sure many in this House can recognise that line from the iconic Kath & Kim series. There are also classic Australian dramas, like Neighbours and Home and Away, that launched international stars such as Kylie Minogue, Chris and Liam Hemsworth, Margot Robbie, Julian McMahon, Naomi Watts, Simon Bakers, Heath Ledger and many more.

Even though we are a relatively small country, with 27.5 million people, we have always batted above our weight when it comes to producing shows that stand the test of time and can compete on the international stage. When Australian writers and performers are given the support to produce Australian stories, we always see the most amazing productions come together, and we have heard from previous speakers here this afternoon the titles of some of our greatest. But we should never underestimate how important it is for Australians to see themselves on screen. It helps us better understand ourselves and our neighbours, and it allows the world to see us. That's why, in 2023, this government released its landmark national cultural policy, Revive: a place for every story, a story for every place. It's a five-year plan to renew and revive Australia's arts, entertainment and cultural sector. It delivers new momentum so that Australia's creative workers, organisations and audiences continue to thrive and grow and our arts, culture and heritage are repositioned as central to Australia's future.

Revive is structured around five interconnected pillars which set out the government's strategic objectives: (1) First Nations first: recognising and respecting the crucial place of First Nations stories at the centre of Australia's arts and culture; (2) a place for every story: reflecting the breadth of our stories and the contribution of all Australians as the creators of culture; (3) centrality of the artist: supporting the artist as worker and celebrating artists as creators; (4) strong cultural infrastructure: providing support across the spectrum of institutions which sustain our arts, culture and heritage; and (5) engaging the audience: making sure our stories connect with people at home and abroad.

Then, sitting across these pillars are 10 principles that guide actions and investments over the next five years: (1) First Nations arts and culture are First Nations led; (2) all Australians, regardless of language, literacy, geography, age or education, have the opportunity to access and participate in arts and culture; (3) artists and arts workers have career structures that are long-term and sustainable, supported by vocational pathways; (4) Australian students have the opportunity to receive an education that includes culture, creativity, humanities and the arts; (5) creative talent is nurtured through fair remuneration, industry standards and safe and inclusive work cultures; (6) arts and cultural organisations have representation and leadership that is reflective of contemporary Australia; (7) cultural infrastructure, including galleries, libraries, museums, archives and digital collections, is restored, built and maintained; (8) Australian stories are seen and heard, regardless of platform—this is central to today's discussion—(9) creative industries and practice are future focused, technology enabled, networked and globally recognised, including through reciprocal exchange, export and cultural diplomacy; and (10) arts and culture are generative, creating new works and supporting emerging artists, and preservative, protecting heritage and conserving cultural memory.

This legislation delivers on our commitment in the national cultural policy, Revive, to set local content requirements on streaming services. It recognises that Australian people and their stories are our greatest cultural asset. Australian stories help to shape our national identity, define who we are and make us recognisable on the international stage. Once this legislation is passed, it will make sure that, no matter what screen you're watching from, you will have guaranteed access to Australian stories. It will mandate that streaming services with more than one million Australian subscribers invest at least 10 per cent of their total expenditure for Australia or 7.5 per cent of their revenue on local drama, children's documentary, arts and educational programs. This will give vital support to our domestic screen sector and arts workers by ensuring quality local stories continue to be produced in Australia.

We have Australian content requirements on free-to-air television and pay TV, but until now there has been no guarantee that we could see our own stories on streaming services. We really are in a new era where fewer people are sitting down in the lounge room to watch their favourites on the box. It's all about streaming platforms now, and we have to go where the people are going. With this legislation, we'll be able to ensure that, no matter which remote control you're holding or which laptop button you're clicking, Australian stories will be at your fingertips.

In my electorate of Brisbane, I recently visited Ludo Studio. What's Ludo Studio? Think Bluey, Dingo, Chilli, Coco and Dusty, amongst others. Bluey is now an Australian icon. I spoke with the co-founder of Ludo Studio, alongside Screen Producers Australia, about the importance of locally produced content. What I heard was that real Australian content, like Bluey, matters. It connects us to who we are and shares our culture with the world, which is why these laws are so important.

These laws will enable us to see the great work of our screen producers and artists. In my electorate office, I recently met with Rebecca and Stephen from Screen Producers Australia. They were talking about their 'Make it Australian: Give Our Stories a Fair Go' campaign. They shared real-life examples of how challenging it was to compete with big companies like Netflix, Stan, Apple TV and Amazon. They said that, when Australian industry is not invested in, we lose these skills locally and often end up importing these skills from overseas. They said that what makes the most difference is having quotas in streaming services, like the quota system that was introduced to broadcasting. Countries like the United Kingdom and Canada have quotas in place, and it has made a big difference to locally produced content.

Australian audiences have shifted to online streaming platforms, but our longstanding local content rules have not yet followed them. Australian stories are being left behind, and our audiences are missing out on the most accessible form of culture available. In fact, one artist who lobbied for quotas has gone on record to say:

There's something like 50,000 shows accessible to an Australian every day, which is just unbelievable.

He also said:

And we want to get in on that and tell some of our stories and be part of that bigger picture.

It's important that a model of streaming regulation delivers more genuinely Australian stories of cultural worth on our screens, particularly for our children.

The screen industry wanted to see a firm commitment from the government to support legislation for streaming services to invest in key genres, including children's content, scripted drama and documentaries, and that's exactly what this legislation will do. We want to work with the Australian screen industry to deliver on their priorities. Their priorities are around ensuring Australian audiences see and hear their own stories. They want to see flexible and fair local content investment obligations for streaming platforms, tied to revenue or subscribers. They want to see intellectual property protections to keep Australian stories in Australia and to ensure independent screen businesses can thrive and be autonomous. They'd also like to see strengthened national broadcasters and screen bodies through more funding for the ABC and SBS, as well as the building of a competitive and fair screen-investment framework.

By boosting local production, rewarding Australian ownership and fixing industry gaps—which can attract investment and keep production local—the screen industry really does support a diverse range of jobs across our creative industry economy. This includes writers and actors, but you also have costume designers, set designers, camera operators, audio-visual tech operators and many, many more. This industry drives economic growth across the country by creating skilled jobs, innovation and adaption of new technology. It drives tourism and exports Australian culture and values globally. It helps to shape our cultural identity through protecting local stories that strengthen our national pride, and it boosts connection with authentic Australian stories that foster belonging, community resilience and a shared experience.

As you've probably gathered, I love a good Australian production, and I've not long finished watching Mystery Road, with Detective Jay Swan. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. Through a well-produced drama, the audience experiences life in the outback and First Nations struggles with inequality and the history of the Stolen Generation. It's a great Australian story. This homegrown creative force is one of the many we should be proud of and be prepared to ensure gets in front of fellow Australians.

Something a little bit lighter is the fantastic program Muster Dogs. It follows five graziers from across Australia who are given five kelpie puppies from the same litter. Who doesn't love a puppy? They are set the challenge of transforming these uniquely Australian dogs into champion muster dogs. But it is great shows like these that could miss out on being developed if we didn't support the industry with this bill. Government has a role fostering the creative forces that live here at home but, as we know, the government doesn't do creating. That role belongs to our artists, who need to be respected as both workers and as creators, who need strong infrastructure that provides training, development and space to share new works, and the nation needs those works to engage the audiences both here at home and around the world. That is why I'm proud to be part of a government that not only recognises but supports our creative industries so they can continue to thrive and tell great Australian stories.

In conclusion, I would like to quote The Castle, which to me sums up the principle behind this bill. Daryl is standing in front of the judge, and the judge says, 'And what law are you basing this argument on?' Daryl responds with 'the law of bloody common sense'. With that, I commend the bill to the House.

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