Streaming giants face new Australian content rules
Australia’s latest push to make streaming platforms invest in homegrown productions could reshape the country’s entertainment landscape and revive its struggling screen industry.
Australia is moving to ensure that global streaming giants contribute to its creative industry by introducing a law that will require them to invest in local productions. Under the new rules, platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime, which have more than one million Australian subscribers, must allocate at least 10% of their local spending, or 7.5% of their revenue, to Australian-made content.
The legislation, to be introduced in Parliament this week, will apply to drama, documentaries, arts, and educational programming.
Arts Minister Tony Burke said the move would guarantee that Australian stories continue to be told in the age of streaming. While traditional broadcasters already face content quotas, no such rules previously applied to streaming platforms.
‘This obligation will ensure that those stories, our stories, continue to be made,’ Burke said, adding that the policy also aims to safeguard local acting and production jobs.
The plan, delayed initially due to trade concerns with the United States, is now back on track, thanks to improved diplomatic relations. Industry bodies such as the Australian Writers Guild and Screen Producers Australia have welcomed the move, describing it as vital for sustaining the country’s cultural identity and creative workforce.
The reform comes at a challenging time for the sector, as investment in locally made films and television dramas dropped by nearly 30% in the 2023–24 financial year, according to Screen Australia. By encouraging streamers to invest in Australian storytelling, the government aims to reverse this decline and strengthen the nation’s screen industry for the future.
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