Government to Introduce Local Content Obligation for Major Streaming Platforms
Nearly eighteen months after missing its initial target, the Federal Government is advancing plans to impose Australian content requirements on large streaming platforms. The proposed legislation will require services with over one million Australian subscribers to allocate at least 10% of their local expenditure or 7.5% of their total revenue to new Australian productions, including drama, children’s, documentary, arts, and educational programs.
The move comes more than two years after Arts Minister Tony Burke first announced the July 1, 2024 deadline as part of the National Cultural Policy, which initiated extensive consultations with streaming services, free-to-air networks, and industry guilds.
By late 2023, the government had invited feedback from industry players on two implementation models — one based on overall revenue, the other on local expenditure. However, despite a Senate committee report recommending swift action on content quotas, the deadline was allowed to pass.
The delay was widely attributed to complexities related to the Australia–United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA), which influenced regulatory considerations.
Independent MP Zali Steggall presented the Change.org “Save Australian Stories” petition in parliament, reigniting the debate over local content mandates.
Summary
The Australian Government will require major streaming platforms to invest part of their earnings in domestic productions to strengthen cultural representation and industry growth.