Aussie Government Puts Up $34 Million to Restart Local Screen Production

The Australian federal government has unveiled a A$50 million ($34.4 million) Temporary Interruption Fund to help local screen producers secure financing and start filming again.

The funds are to be administered by Screen Australia. This is part of a wider plan from the Australian government of a new A$250 million targeted package to help restart the creative economy and get the entertainment, arts and screen sectors back to work, as they rebuild from the impacts of COVID-19. A range of new grant and loan programs will roll out over the next 12 months to different parts of the arts sector to support the A$112 billion creative economy and the more than 600,000 Australians it employs.

Screen Producers Australia (SPA) has celebrated the effort: “The fund will assist to secure much-needed capital to the hundreds of small businesses which make up the independent production sector so that we can start the cameras rolling again and return thousands of workers back to work across the broad range of jobs that our industry creates,” said SPA CEO Matthew Deaner.

“The benefits of this package will extend far beyond the personnel on a physical set, with flow-on effects to related industries such as tourism and hospitality, and the boost to Australia’s export potential, playing an important part in the nation’s economic recovery. Moreover, the Australian public will no doubt celebrate the return of homegrown stories to our screens.

“Our industry was one of the earliest and hardest hit by COVID-19, impacting 120 local productions and affecting over 30,000 working employees, freelancers and contractors. JobKeeper has been an important lifeline which has helped to keep many screen businesses afloat during this turbulent time.

“Combined with the release of the screen industry’s COVID-Safe Guidelines late last month, this fund, part of the Government’s JobMaker plan to support Australia’s valuable creative economy, assists to return our industry to a steady footing to help kick start production and return to the delivery of high-quality Australian stories for audiences domestically and abroad.

“I thank the Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, and the Federal Government, for their support of our sector and the close collaboration with industry to develop this fund. Our ongoing partnership is incredibly valuable and appreciated as we look to ways to develop and support our industry now and in the future.

“I would also like to thank See-Saw Films’ Emile Sherman and CJZ’s Nick Murray as well as the many members and supporters who contributed behind the scenes to this work, highlighting and explaining the unique issues our industry has faced during the pandemic as well as developing thoughtful proposals to address the challenges we face.

“I look forward to continuing to work with government and the soon to be formed Creative Economy Taskforce as the JobMaker plan is implemented over the coming weeks,” continued Deaner.