Overview
- Screen Australia reported A$2.7 billion in 2024–25 drama expenditure, up 43% year over year, with about A$1.3 billion driven by international projects and fewer TV titles entering production as costs per hour rose.
- ACMA data shows SVODs spent A$414 million on Australian programs, including A$316.6 million on commissions, yet commissioned fewer titles than a year earlier (41 vs 55) while making 3,919 Australian titles available to viewers.
- Parliament has passed content obligations for streamers with more than 1 million subscribers starting January 1, requiring either 10% of program spend or 7.5% of Australian revenue to go to new local originals, with an additional A$50 million directed to the ABC.
- The Streaming for Australia Coalition argues quotas are unnecessary given current investment levels and warns that acquired Australian content, worth about A$97 million last year, cannot count toward the new mandates and may be discouraged.
- Producer groups and Screen Australia highlight falling volumes, with children’s drama spend dropping to A$34 million and documentary investment declining, and call for oversight to protect vulnerable genres and local production capacity.