Peter Garrett MP
Member for Kingsford Smith
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Reconciliation and the Arts

The Australian Film Commission’s National survey of feature film and TV drama production 2005/06 once again confirms the subdued performance of Australia’s film and television industry.

Of real concern is the drop in long-form drama on our television screens. In 2005/06 there were 573 hours of local and co-produced drama compared to 620 in 2004/05, including not a single adult series from the ABC.

Under the Howard Government’s watch expenditure on all productions as well as the number of hours of adult drama on television have both trended downwards.

In film, despite our highly skilled production workforce and desirable location, the slate of foreign films being made in Australia has fallen. The slight increase in the number of local features is welcome but very few productions have included substantial private finance and all were in the low budget category.

Australian production talent is undeniable, witness the success of Kenny, but until the government addresses the policy blockages preventing increased private sector funding our local film industry cannot fulfil its potential. 

The findings from the AFC’s survey confirm a deeply worrying trend where the screen production industry’s critical role in having Aussie stories and Aussie voices on our televisions and in our cinemas is diminishing.

It appears that where Australia’s screen industry is concerned the Howard Government cultural warriors are missing in action.

Albeit from a larger market, when the American production budget for the World War II epic Flags of our Fathers tops US$90 million it is hard to fathom that Australian producers are only able to access AUS$4 million to tell our heroic story of Kokoda. 

With the long overdue Review of Australian Government Film Funding Support expected to report by next year’s Budget, the government should consider implementing Labor’s proposal to develop a Strategic Film Industry plan.

Now that Minister Kemp has the evidence mounting of a struggling industry, what does he intend to do about it?

Contact: Andrew Palfreyman 0434 600 577