Wednesday 12th of February 2025
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quiet please, rolling !.....

The federal government has quietly delayed plans to introduce local content requirements for major streaming platforms, with no indication of when it might return to work on the policy.

Local content quotas were a centrepiece of Labor's major arts policy, which was aimed at rejuvenating the local industry after the pandemic and released nearly two years ago.

However, concerns about how the policy might interact with Australia's free trade deal with the United States are being pointed to as a primary concern.

Advocates for local content rules have accused the streaming platforms of seeking to "weaponise" the trade deal to block changes.

The plans have already been delayed by months, with the government initially hoping to have the new rules in place by July 1, 2024.

Some industry stakeholders now expect the policy to be delayed until late next year at the earliest, after the next federal election.

There had been speculation the rules would have required the streaming giants, such as Netflix, Amazon, Paramount and others, to spend a percentage of their revenue producing local content.

The government was consulting with streaming platforms and advocates for local creative industries on models earlier this year.

Arts Minister Tony Burke told Labor's caucus on Tuesday that the interaction of any new local content rules with the US free trade deal was a stumbling block.

On top of that, the timing of the US election has made it difficult to negotiate that problem with the US directly.

Screen Producers Australia, which has lobbied heavily for local content rules for streaming platforms, expressed some hope the trade problems could be resolved.

Chief executive Matthew Deaner argued streaming platforms had been relying on the free trade issues to try to stall the changes.

"There's little doubt that the mostly US streaming businesses have been weaponising the [US free trade deal] to delay the promised regulation this year," he said.

"Australia hasn't been afraid to take on powerful interests in the past … we need to find that resolve again or these digital platforms will continue to play by their own rules and ignore local audiences.

"This situation is denying Australian audiences access to their own screen content and making business conditions challenging for many independent producers."

Greens criticise delay in changes

There was a suggestion from Mr Burke that key stakeholders were happy not to see the policy rushed to avoid any problems with its implementation.

While some key industry figures are disappointed by the delays, they agree it would be a problem to see the changes bungled.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young was, however, scathing of the delays and the suggestion the US is to blame.

"We shouldn't be letting the Americans dictate whether or not we protect and support our Australian stories and culture," she said.

"The Albanese government has broken its promise to the screen sector and audiences in Australia. They've missed the July 1 deadlines and now the whole thing has been put in ice.

"These tech giants need to be regulated before we lose more jobs, more stories and more of our local, domestic culture."

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts said the delays were unfortunate but work on the policy was continuing.

"The government is undertaking a genuine consultation process and is taking the time to consider views about the best way to support ongoing investment in, and production of, Australian stories," he said.

"Consultation is taking longer than we would have liked, but we are determined to get this right.

"The Government is aiming to introduce legislation as soon as practicable."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-06/government-quietly-shelves-plans-for-local-content-requirements/104564654

 

YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.

 

“It’s hard to do cartoons without the Aussie spirit…”

         Gus Leonisky

delicate deal....

US President Donald Trump has declared he would give "great consideration" to a tariff exemption for Australia, less than an hour after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the leaders had agreed a carve-out for Australia was "under consideration".

The prime minister told reporters he had a "constructive and warm" conversation with Mr Trump on Tuesday morning, shortly after concluding a call that was scheduled before the president announced new 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports into the US.

Mr Albanese said he presented his case for an exemption and the leaders "agreed on wording to say publicly, which is that the US president agreed that an exemption was under consideration in the interest of both our countries".

But in an Oval Office press conference a short time later, the US president initially ruled out any exemptions before later stating he told Mr Albanese he would give "great consideration" to an exemption for Australia, as he signed an executive order to enact the tariffs.

Describing Mr Albanese as a "fine man", the president said Australia was one "of the few" nations that has a trade surplus with the US.

"And I told him that that's something that we'll give great consideration to."

While both Mr Trump and Mr Albanese touted the trade surplus, White House officials said Australia was a big player in the aluminium market and "the companies in Australia are the same companies that operate in Canada, and they kind of go back and forth with hitting the American markets".

"It's been quite devastating," they said. 

The proclamation signed by the president also states aluminium imports from Australia have surged since 2024. 

"Australia has disregarded its verbal commitment to voluntarily restrain its [aluminium] exports to a reasonable level," it said.

When similar tariffs were imposed during the previous Trump administration, it was four months before former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull secured an assurance that an Australian exemption would be considered.

The exemptions were ultimately secured about one year after the tariffs were announced.

Asked on Tuesday whether he was confident an exemption would be granted, Mr Albanese declined to elaborate.

"The words that I've used are the words that I'll stick to," he said.

"It's appropriate when you're dealing with the president of the United States to not speak on his behalf and those are the words that were agreed."

The tariffs would be imposed from March 12.

That order also suggested alternative agreements with trading nations like China had been "detrimental to US steel production and national security", and the previous Trump administrations tariffs had been more effective in shoring up US steel production.

Tariff would 'damage' US-Australia relationship: Dutton

Australia exported 223,000 tonnes of steel to the US last year and 83,000 tonnes of aluminium.

Those exports were worth $US237 million ($377 million) in 2023, according to data from Trading Economics.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said he wanted to send a "very clear message to the Trump administration" that the relationship between the two allies would be damaged if the tariffs remain in place.

"What's important now is that the Trump Administration hears there is a bipartisan position in Australia to stand up for our national interest," he said.

"Our national interest is best served by the removal of the tariff as it applies to Australia — and if it stays in place, I think it damages the relationship."

The prime minister deserved support in whatever measures he takes to have the tariff removed, Mr Dutton added. 

"My job is to stand up for our national interest and it is in our national interest for the tariff to be removed."

Tuesday's call was Mr Albanese's first conversation with Mr Trump since he conveyed a brief congratulatory message in the wake of the US election.

In a statement posted separately to social media on Tuesday, Mr Albanese said he and Mr Trump "committed to working constructively together to advance Australian and American interests, drive economic prosperity and face shared challenges".

"For decades, the Alliance between the United States and Australia has served the interests of both our nations, and supported peace, stability and growth in our region.

"I look forward to working closely with President Trump to create jobs and deliver benefits for both our nations."

The largest sources of US steel imports are Canada, Brazil and Mexico, followed by South Korea and Vietnam, according to government and American Iron and Steel Institute data.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-11/albanese-trump-phone-call-steel-and-aluminium-tariffs/104921760

 

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.

 

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.