Made in NSW gets budget support

After some collision between the screen sector and the NSW Minns Govt last year, things are looking rosier today.

Screen Producers Australia has welcomed a commitment to the NSW Screen Industry made in today’s State Budget:

Screen and Digital Games: $35 million for the Made in NSW Fund, as well as ongoing investment to provide certainty for the Post-Production and Visual Effects rebate scheme.

“Our industry warmly welcomes the certainty and funding support to the NSW screen industry provided through the ongoing “Made in NSW” program and rebates for Digital Games and PDV, which will continue at a level that meets the needs of industry,” said SPA CEO Matthew Deaner.

“It is clear that the Minns Government understands and appreciates the important role that our industry plays in NSW, creating thousands of skilled jobs, as well as important cultural and economic benefits.”

The budget support contrasts to last year when 85 projects and 300,000 jobs were at risk over plans by NSW govt to cut Made in NSW and Post Production funds. Hundreds of screen workers gathered at a mass meeting in September. The NSW government later reversed those cuts.

“Our industry also looks forward to the release in coming weeks of the 3-year NSW Screen and Digital Games Strategy, that we hope will provide some important detail around fulfilling the important commitment made to industry in the Creative Communities policy,” said Deaner.

“The number one key priority for SPA members in that strategy is for the state’s screen agency, Screen NSW, to be properly resourced and structured to enable it to work efficiently and effectively with the screen industry in order to maximise the enormous benefits of the sector.”