Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I too rise to speak in support of the Communications Legislation Amendment (Australian Content Requirement for Subscription Video On Demand (Streaming) Services) Bill 2025. This bill delivers on the Albanese Labor government's commitment to introduce an Australian content obligation on streaming services, ensuring that, no matter what screen you're watching from, you have guaranteed access to Australian stories. Our National Cultural Policy—Revive, which is wonderful—recognises that our greatest cultural asset is Australia's people and their stories—our stories. It also acknowledges there have been major changes in the way audiences access and consume film and television content; we've all seen that over the past few years.

Australia's television landscape has evolved to include not just public broadcasters, commercial broadcasters and cable but, increasingly, a huge variety of streaming platforms and services. Australian content quotas for commercial television were first introduced in the 1960s, showing we have long known how important it is that the content of our screens reflects our culture and identity as Australians. These content requirements were updated in the 1990s to capture free-to-air and other television broadcasters, and this ensured a minimum level of Australian content was produced every year.

Of course, both the ABC and SBS acknowledge in their respective charters that their functions include informing, educating and entertaining audiences with content that represents our diverse identities, values and experiences. While streaming services derive very big profits from Australian audiences, often the content they deliver does reflect someone else's experience and someone else's identity. What these laws do is level the playing field. Just as free-to-air networks and pay television have long supported Australian stories through content requirements, streaming giants will now be required to invest in our people, our places and our perspectives.

Australian audiences are engaging with streaming services because these services produce some fantastic, wonderful and engaging shows, including the production of great Australian content—only a minority of services are yet to produce any Australian content—and we want to ensure that that quality Australian content continues on those services. This bill is not intended to criticise the operation of streaming businesses, but to acknowledge the fantastic content they produce and to ensure that Australian audiences invested in watching on these services are also able to continue to access important Australian stories.

The bill represents a significant step forward for Australia's creative industries as well as our cultural identity. This bill amends the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to introduce a clear and enforceable Australian screen content requirement for on-demand streaming platforms that millions of Australians are using every day. It does this by guaranteeing a minimum of expenditure on new Australian content on those services. This is really important because, as we say, our stories matter. They reflect who we are, where we've come from and the values we all share. They showcase our unique voices to the world and ensure that future generations grow up with access to content that speaks of their own experiences.

It also highlights the immense talent and creativity of Australian actors, writers, directors, artists and other creatives. We have so many creative industries and people that we're incredibly proud of. It's not just our Aussies that want to see Australian content on their screens; we all know, worldwide, how well regarded Australian films are. Indeed, we've seen, over the decades, films that have had massive international success, like Picnic at Hanging Rock; Mad Max; The Castle; Crocodile Dundee; The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert;Strictly Ballroom; and Muriel's Wedding, which not only was a reflection of my area in northern New South Wales but was filmed in parts of it as well. We have recently seen some other Australian made content achieve global success. We see it all the time—from Rake to Mr Inbetween, Colin from Accounts and, of course, Bluey. We all love Bluey.

Australian film and television have a global reputation for innovation and emotional honesty, and these Aussie made shows have been hugely successful, reaching international audiences, and we want to see more of that. In the words of Bluey, 'Coconuts have water in them'—sorry! Wrong quote. In the words of Bluey, 'If you can imagine it, you can play it.' This bill guarantees that streaming services will invest in telling those stories by setting a minimum level of expenditure on new Australian content. Under these reforms, on-demand streaming platforms will be required to dedicate at least 10 per cent of their total program expenditure to commissioning or acquiring first release Australian drama, children's programs, documentaries, arts and educational content, and these are the genres that shape our culture and inspire us creatively.

This bill also allows providers to meet their obligation on a revenue basis, investing at least 7.5 per cent of their gross Australian revenue in eligible Australian content. This approach ensures fairness whilst maintaining strong support for local production. Importantly, the bill adopts existing definitions from the Australian content and children's television standards, providing consistency across the industry. It also includes practical measures, such as three-year carry-over period for expenditure and a statutory review after four years, to ensure the framework is effective and responsive to change.

Oversight will be provided by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, ACMA, which will administer the Australian screen content requirement and receive reports from streaming services on their compliance with the requirements. These reforms will futureproof our screen sector. As traditional broadcast consumption declines, we know streaming platforms dominate how Australians, especially young Australians, consume media, and, without these laws, there's a real risk that Australian voices could become increasingly marginalised on platforms that prioritise high-volume international content. This legislation ensures that future generations grow up seeing people that represent them, in towns and cities like theirs, telling stories that reflect Australian humour, character and resilience, of course; and ensures that Australian stories will not be lost in an ocean of overseas content.

The development of the content requirements in this bill reflects the extensive and genuine consultation that the Albanese Labor government has undertaken with industry stakeholders. We arrived at a policy that will achieve meaningful outcomes in ensuring the representation of Australian voices and perspectives on screen—one that's also consistent with Australia's international trade obligations.

Of course, these reforms are not just about entertainment; they're about jobs, investment and employment opportunities. As the member for Cunningham said too, for regional areas like hers and like mine, it is a game changer when we have productions occurring in our regions and a lot of employment as a result of Australian made television and film. These opportunities will strengthen our screen industry, create work for thousands of Australians in production and postproduction and help our stories reach audiences both here and overseas. Economically, these reforms will, importantly, drive job creation, particularly in regional areas, where film industries are emerging as major contributors to local economies. That's certainly the case in my area in northern New South Wales. More Australian productions means more work for writers, actors, directors, set designers, lighting specialists, camera operators, caterers, accommodation providers and transport services.

In my electorate of Richmond, we have a growing film and production industry. We also have so many elements that really contribute to making it a great location for film and television. We know that we've got so many versatile locations, with pristine beaches, subtropical rainforest, stunning hinterland, historic towns, agricultural properties and coastal villages all within a short driving distance. We have a growing network of film and television production professionals, supported by organisations like Screenworks, which plays a pivotal role in building local talent capacity, connecting regional crew with inbound productions and offering really important training for screenwriters, producers and directors. Also in my electorate, FIN Ballina is a visual effects studio. Their VFX artists, designers and producers work with some of the biggest names in film, television and other visual mediums.

We also have so many international film festivals. The Byron Bay International Film Festival, running since 2006, showcases Australian and international film talent for thousands of film lovers throughout our region. Film By the Northern Rivers, another annual film festival in my electorate, showcases the work and filmmaking talent of New South Wales public school students, from kindergarten to year 11. The festival is aimed at promoting storytelling through film, and it's a really great celebration of the creativity of our young future filmmakers.

We also consistently see the secondary impacts of productions in my local area and the huge economic benefits for our local community through the demand for accommodation, catering, transport, hiring and tourism. We could never underestimate that ongoing benefit that it brings, from Hollywood blockbusters that we've had filmed—like Aquaman, which was filmed in our region, and many more—to lots of TV shows, including the very long-running British version of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!,which has actually been filmed in a place called Dungay just outside of Murwillumbah for more than 20 years. Having that in place—the economic benefits that flow on from that are absolutely massive. We consistently have—and I couldn't name all of the movies and the television shows that are made in our region. We certainly want to encourage that and encourage more local job creation because of it, in both those industries and the industries that support them in doing that.

In conclusion, this bill ensures that Australian content remains front and centre, and that's what our government is committed to doing. It's about protecting our culture, supporting our economy and guaranteeing that Australian stories continue to be told on the platforms that Australians enjoy and watch all the time—on our streaming services. I commend the bill to the House.

Debate adjourned.

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