Labor must support our screen sector

“Labor’s political games are putting the Australian screen production sector at risk.

“The Morrison Government has carefully developed legislation to reform the system of screen tax offsets so that they more effectively support the Australian production sector in the new global digital screen environment.

“The centrepiece is an increase in the Producer Offset from 20 per cent to 30 per cent, to stimulate more Australian television production.

“But today, in a cynical political stunt in the Senate, Labor have moved amendments to delete most of the measures contained in the Bill.

“As the Government has consistently said, we will not agree to these amendments, as these reforms work as a package.

“The Bill will pass as a whole, or not at all. This Bill is for the entire screen sector, not just a select few.

“Labor’s brazen piece of political point-scoring puts a number of screen companies in immediate danger.

“Production companies have already taken loans on the basis of the increase in the offset from 20 to 30 per cent.

“If the additional funding through the Producer Offset is unavailable or delayed it will threaten the continued production of projects in Australia.

“This threatens the employment of a large number of actors, writers, directors and associated crew on set.

“I call on Labor to stop playing games, provide certainty to Australian businesses, and pass the Bill as it stands.”