Actors Call For Aus Content Quotas On Netflix: 'It's Never Been Under Greater Siege'

27 June 2018 | 9:36 am | Staff Writer

Taking the case to Canberra.

A number of figures in the Australian screen industry have come together to urge the government to introduce local content quotas on Netflix and other TV streaming services. 

As ABC reports, names such as Richard Roxburgh, Judy Davis and writer Andrew Knight (Jack Irish) were part of the group who appeared at Parliament House in Canberra to address politicians on both sides, including Minister of Communications and the Arts, Mitch Fifield. 

Unlike free-to-air networks, streaming services have no quota for Australian content and the group called for a 10% quota to be introduced.

"We're really at a precipice," Roxburgh said.

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"It's a moment in time when the streaming giants, Netflix, Amazon, soon to be Disney, and Telstra and Stan have no local content requirements," Roxburgh said.

"What they're doing in the rest of the world is sorting out some small impost so some of the huge earnings they're making are fed back into the local industry. That's why I'm here — to prosecute that idea."

The Australian Directors Guild also proposed Netflix should spend 10% of its Australian revenue on local programming. 

Roxburgh continued, "It's not bad yet but it's soon to be.

"The networks [say] 'it's not a level playing field', they have to provide local content and the streaming services don't have to provide local content and that's a big impost on them."

"They have a point, however their solution is to get rid of the Australian quota system altogether."

Knight added, "I know audience(s) want to hear Australian stories.

"I know they want to hear the Australian patois and the way we think and the way we talk and it's never been under greater siege than it is at the moment."

The call comes just weeks after Tasmanian comic Hannah Gadsby's award-winning comedy special, Nanette, hit Netflix to global acclaim. 

Meanwhile Australian streaming service Stan has championed local content for some time and is behind a number of popular TV series, including No Activity, Romper Stomper, Wolf Creek and The Other Guy.

Stan also confirmed this month that it has flown past one million active subscribers (with an eye already on eclipsing two million), as well as exclusive deals with Hollywood giants, Lionsgate and Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM).