JOINT MEDIA RELEASE - BURKE VS ROWLAND CREATES STREAM OF CONFUSION

The Hon Paul Fletcher MP
Shadow Minister for the Arts

The Hon David Coleman MP
Shadow Minister for Communications

JOINT MEDIA RELEASE

Tuesday 21 March 2023

BURKE VS ROWLAND CREATES STREAM OF CONFUSION

The Albanese Labor Government’s plan to impose a 20 per cent Australian content spend requirement on streaming video on demand (SVOD) services like Netflix and Stan is in disarray, with officials unable to answer which Minister has responsibility for the policy area. 

In Senate Estimates recently, both government Senator Carol Brown and Deputy Secretary of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, Richard Windeyer, could not say whether Minister Rowland or Burke, would be ultimately responsible for relevant legislation.

“This once again shows how media policy considerations have been sidelined by Minister Burke’s determination to include this issue in his so-called National Cultural Plan.

“The ongoing turf war between Ministers Rowland and Burke is creating policy paralysis.

“How can industry and the Australian people have confidence that streaming policy is being treated seriously when senior government officials can’t even name who is responsible for relevant legislation?

“This chaotic process stands in contrast to the careful, measured approach to this issue the Coalition took in government to supporting Australian screen content. 

“The fact is that in February 2022, after extensive consultation, the Coalition Government announced its intention to legislate an Australian content spend requirement for SVOD services.

“All Labor has delivered to date is to delay progress towards this outcome by more than a year.

“Whether Labor’s 20 per cent content quota was arrived at with Minister Rowland’s approval remains a mystery.”

ENDS

Further information: Jack Abadee – 0403 440 099