Hundreds of screen workers held a mass meeting in Sydney today and have committed to campaign to reverse cuts to screen industry funding in the NSW Budget that will have a devastating impact on employment and small business.
The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance called the mass meeting at Disney Studios as anger grows at the defunding of the Made in NSW program and the Post-production, Digital and Visual Effects Rebate.
Screen workers and audiences will be called upon to contact their NSW MPs to explain the impact on their livelihoods and their families of the loss of film and television production in the state as a result of the cuts.
“Yesterday’s Budget confirmed that the cuts will go ahead despite warnings from the screen industry that they imperil thousands of jobs and small businesses in an industry that is already experiencing a slowdown,” said MEAA Chief Executive Erin Madeley.
“The explanation given – that the cuts were already made by the previous government before the March state election – does not wash with our members. Regardless of when the decision was made, the result will be the same: NSW will find it harder to attract film and television production.
“While the government has subsequently said it will support endangered productions, the funding gap remains.
“The job is now ahead of the State Government to lay out a cultural policy that includes a credible and sustainable plan for the screen industry.
“MEAA is also concerned that there is no cohesive screen policy across the states which has resulted in damaging competition for film and television projects.
“We will be calling on all the federal and state ministers responsible for the screen industry to work towards collaboration rather than competition.”
MEAA will be encouraging producers and screen guilds to join with it in a campaign to reverse the cuts and secure the future of the NSW screen industry.
The first step of the campaign is an online campaign to email NSW MPs about screen industry policy.
