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\n\tSYDNEY, Australia \u2014 More than three-and-a-half years after the siren sounded, the Australian government is activating local content quotas for popular streaming video on-demand platforms operating on these shores.<\/p>\n
\n\tConfirmed Tuesday, Nov. 4, the new obligation will require those services with over 1 million domestic subscribers to invest 10% of total program expenditure here, or 7.5% of their total Australian revenue, to supporting local storytelling.<\/p>\n
\n\tNetflix, Disney, Amazon and other SVOD services will be compelled to comply by the legislation, which will be introduced to Parliament this week, the ABC reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tThose quotas must pass that bar set by the Australian Content and Children\u2019s Television Standard (ACCTS), meeting or exceeding the same requirements currently applied to commercial and subscription television services.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cWe have Australian content requirements on free-to-air television and pay television, but until now, there has been no guarantee that we could see our own stories on streaming services,\u201d minister for the arts Tony Burke remarked.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cSince their introduction in Australia, streaming services have created some extraordinary shows. This obligation will ensure that those stories \u2014 our stories \u2014 continue to be made.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tAPRA AMCOS celebrated the announcement as an \u201cincredible first step for Australia.\u201d Whether the next step is a long-mooted content quotas for streaming music platforms, time will tell. <\/p>\n \n\tThe Australian-made regulation, says Dean Ormston, CEO of APRA AMCOS, is a critical mechanism \u201cwithin a global content market where extraordinary local stories and local music can be drowned out by content from major overseas markets.\u201d <\/p>\n \n\tCritically, he adds, \u201cthe obligation includes requirements to spend on post-production in Australia, opening the door for Australian screen composers and local music to play a central role in telling our stories. This represents a significant new opportunity for Australia\u2019s music creators.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tThe Albanese government\u2019s announcement follows the presentation last week of APRA AMCOS\u2019s 2025 Screen Music Awards<\/a>, and delivers on Canberra\u2019s commitment in its national cultural policy, the five-year action plan dubbed Revive<\/em>. <\/p>\n \n\tWith its presentation in January 2023, the federal government mapped out a timeline for legislation that would enforce local content quotas on streaming platforms. \u201cFor video streaming,\u201d federal minister of the arts Tony Burke said at the time, \u201cthe timeline is locked in.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tThe new rules should\u2019ve been implemented in 2024 but were delayed over concerns on how they might create a stumbling block for Australia\u2019s trade agreement with the United States.<\/p>\n \n\tThe champagne corks aren\u2019t exactly flying, but the Australian creative community has cause to celebrate. The government\u2019s commitment to investing in Australian storytelling comes on the heels of last week\u2019s decision that there would be no exception for big tech in Australia\u2019s copyright regime to allow for text and data mining<\/a>. <\/p>\n \n\t\u201cThis announcement marks a landmark day for the Australian screen industry,\u201d enthuses Screen Producers Australia CEO Matthew Deaner. \u201cFor too long, our local production sector has operated in an uneven environment where global streaming services could reap the benefits of doing business in Australia without contributing fairly to the creation of Australian stories.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tThe commitment is \u201cthe result of years of advocacy,\u201d he continues. \u201cIt recognizes that Australian stories matter, and that they deserve to be seen and heard on every platform.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n