- $1.1 billion annually for ABC and $334.9 million for SBS, over 5 years.
- Up to 56 cadet journalists hired and deployed in 38 regional newsrooms
- $286 million for new national cultural policy, Revive.
- Audio description ABC and SBS
- Location Offset Discount Increased to 30%, $6.9M to Promote Motion Picture Productions
- The Viewer Access satellite television service was extended for another seven years
The Federal Budget of the Albanian Government has declared “culture wars from the government are gone” with record funding for the arts sector, with nearly $950 million in additional spending over four years, including a new national cultural policy, Revive.
ABC and SBS welcomed the first of new five-year funding rounds that see $1.1 billion annually for ABC and $334.9 million for SBS, for a total of $7.7 billion over the next five years.
An additional $949.5 million will be invested over the next four years, including:
- $286 million to be delivered on Revive including through; restore grassroots arts funding; establishing Creative Australia, Music Australia, Writers Australia and a Creative Workplaces center to support arts workers; establish a First Nations-led body dedicated to First Nations work; share the National Gallery of Australia’s collection with regional and suburban galleries; and improve incomes for authors.
- $9 million in 2023-24 to Australia’s eight National Arts Training Organizations to provide critical training and skills development and maintain Australia’s in-demand and trained artists and production specialists for the live performing arts and Australian film industry and the creative economy more generally.
- An additional $112.3 million to attract international investment in the Australian film industry to provide in-home employment and training opportunities by increasing the Localization Offset discount to 30%.
- $6.9 million over 4 years from 2023 to 24 for Ausfilm to continue promoting film productions in Australia.
In the Communications, the Report also:
- Provide five-year funding terms for national broadcasters – the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) – and increase core operating funding by implementing three ongoing cessation measures on an ongoing basis.
- Extend funding to continue Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST) service across regional and remote Australia for another seven years to 2030-31;
- Provide $5 million to support the Australian Associated Press (AAP) newswire service during the development of the Media Assistance Program (News MAP).
- $2.5 million to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts to work with the Federation of Ethnic Communities Australia (FECCA) Council to support media literacy in CALD communities;
ABC and SBS will receive an additional $72 million over four years to extend and transform three previously terminated programs into ongoing funding:
ABC Enhanced News Gathering, which supports regional journalist positions in regional offices across Australia; SBS Media Sector Support, which provides news, content, subtitles and English learning resources to Australians who speak languages other than English, with a particular focus on the Chinese and Arab communities; AND
ABC and SBS Audio Description, to make screen content more accessible to blind or visually impaired audiences.
ABC will receive $8.5 million over four years to expand the broadcast infrastructure in the Pacific as part of the Indo-Pacific Broadcasting Strategy. The funding will provide further access to Australian content, boosting media connections in the region.
Arts Minister Tony Burke said: “We are restoring momentum, direction and vision to a $17 billion industry which employs more than 400,000 Australians, enabling our talented artists and organizations to thrive and grow so that can unlock new opportunities, reach new audiences, and tell stories in new and compelling ways.”
ABCs:
ABC welcomed the first of the new five-year funding round, including the incorporation of the Enhanced Newsgathering program into ABC’s ongoing operating funding base. The ENG programme, which supports around 70 journalists and content creators, ran from 2012-13 as a closure measure and was renewed three times.
Ongoing funding for audio description services has also been incorporated into ABC’s core funding. The funding award means AD services will be extended to ABC iview.
ABC Chief Executive David Anderson said: “The five-year budget allocation reflects the ABC’s important role in Australian life and the value it delivers to the community.
“The funding provides a strong foundation as the ABC continues to evolve its services to meet the needs of Australian audiences. The next five years will be crucial for ABC as we face significant shifts in media consumption, industry-wide cost pressures, and growing requirements to modernize and adapt to new technologies.
“The certainty of funding provided by the Budget is critical, as it allows ABC to plan with confidence. Despite the outcome of the five-year funding, the ABC will face the challenge of upward cost pressures and position itself to continue to be trusted, relevant and valued by all Australians into the future.
“I will soon be announcing a new five-year plan that will define ABC’s priorities. The plan will ensure that we seize the opportunities of the future and that the ABC remains the most important cultural institution for all Australians.”
SSB:
SBS also welcomed the initiation of five-year funding and the continuation and incorporation of existing short-term funding for key language and audio description services into its core funding.
“SBS welcomes the continuity and stability provided by the five-year funding model, ensuring we are able to continue to deliver our vital services to all Australians and multilingual and First Nations communities in particular,” said a spokesperson. by SBS.
“We also welcome the decision to continue and incorporate existing funding for language services and audio description into our core funding, in recognition of the value these services bring to audiences across Australia.”
MOVIE:
Ausfilm has applauded an increase in location offset from 16.5% to 30% from 1 July 2023, offering a significant boost to the Australian film industry.
Kate Marks, CEO of Ausfilm, said: “This is tremendous news for the industry. A permanent location offset of 30% will ensure a strong pipeline of both physical production and PDV work into the future and solidify Australia’s position as a leader in the global display industry.
“The increase in location offset will bring significant benefits to the entire industry and the economy in terms of jobs and training opportunities, innovations in technology, infrastructure development, along with direct benefits for non-dedicated businesses. industry (for example, construction, education, hospitality, security, travel, real estate) will also bring significant benefits to regional headquarters and businesses.
“International clients have demonstrated their willingness to work with us on skills and training, and this decision offers a great opportunity to build industry capacity through infrastructure and skills in the future,” continued Marks.
Since 2018, two separate programs have been running concurrently: 16.5% Position Compensation and 13.5% Position Incentive Grant. Today’s announcement of the transition to a 30% location offset will streamline the process and provide long-term certainty for international clients looking to invest in Australia.
