Arts plans finally emerge

The Coalition has promised a $60 million loan fund over three years to enable local filmmakers to better exploit the Producer Offset.

The announcement was made at the Australian International Movie Convention on the Gold Coast yesterday. It is $30m less than what the Screen Producers’ Association of Australia requested.

The fund aims to ”boost investment in new films and refocus Australian film production on commercial outcomes”, Shadow arts minister Steven Ciobo said in a statement. If elected, the Abbott government will give matching loans of between $2 million to $10 million to distributors who invest in local films.

However, Geoff Brown, executive director of SPAA applauded the centrepiece of the Coalition’s arts plan.

”This is a way we can put increased emphasis on commercial realisation of quality films, so we can match the funding of distributors and insure a stronger commercial focus that we believe will lead to a healthier local industry.’

”It will provide an incentive for commercial activity, marketplace activity, rather than the traditional model of going through the Film Australia board and agencies.”

Brown said the policy was ”much more substantial” than Labor’s.

”I have to say all sections of the industry have been really disappointed in Labor’s lack of strategic vision in their platform. They’re going into perhaps one of the most critical three years in a long time, with the analog switch-off, the review of Australian content regulations, convergence reviews – and to not get any policy framework from the ALP going into that is really disappointing.”

Labor has asked filmmakers to wait for the outcome of a review now under way, the third extensive examination of the industry in five years.

SPAA president Antony Ginnane describes the review as “a procrastinating device”.

Meanwhile, Labor has promised $10 million over five years to the Australia Council, but is yet to announce any election commitments for the arts sector. Labor’s $10m fillip would be dispersed via grants of up to $80,000 a year for new artistic works, including visual art, performing arts, literature, new media and music.

The Australian Major Performing Arts Group says Labor’s arts policy is more comprehensive than that of the Coalition.

The Television industry is yet to rate any specific mention in reporting of Arts promises and there is no clear outline of the Anti-Siphoning List outcome.

Source: The Age, The Australian