Major streaming services including Netflix and Disney will be required to significantly increase their investment in Australian-made programs after the government’s content quota legislation passed Parliament during the final sitting hours of 2025.
Under the new laws, streaming platforms with more than one million Australian subscribers must invest at least 10 per cent of their total Australian program expenditure, or 7.5 per cent of their Australian revenue, in new local drama, children’s, documentary, arts and educational content. Services that fail to comply face penalties of up to ten times their Australian revenue.
Arts Minister Tony Burke said the reforms would ensure Australian stories remained visible as audiences increasingly turn to streaming services.
“We have Australian content requirements on free-to-air and pay television, but until now there has been no guarantee that we could see our own stories on streaming services,” Mr Burke said. “No matter which remote control you’re holding, Australian stories will be at your fingertips.”
The new laws are supported by a $50 million funding boost for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, to be delivered over three years from 2026–27, to support additional Australian children’s and drama content. Communications Minister Anika Wells said the measures would ensure Australian stories remained prominent across all platforms and support local creatives and production jobs.
Industry groups have broadly welcomed the changes, describing them as a landmark moment for Australian screen storytelling. According to Screen Australia data, Netflix accounted for 35 per cent of Australian drama production spending in 2022–23, with average streaming production costs now around $3.5 million per hour.
The new investment obligations are also expected to create fresh opportunities for regional filming locations, including South West of Western Australia, which offers a diverse natural landscape ranging from coastline and forest to regional centres and rural settings - perfect for a myriad of formats and genres!
Screenwest is actively supporting productions to film in regional Western Australia, including through the WA Regional Screen Fund, which assists large-scale productions to shoot outside metropolitan Perth. Screenwest also works in partnership with the South West Development Commission to help facilitate productions into the region. Further details on incentives can be found here.
To streamline location scouting, Screenwest hosts an online locations portal that provides a platform to showcase potential filming sites, making it easier for producers to identify and access regional locations. To upload and view existing locations, including Bunbury as an example visit.
The uniqueness of the South West extends well beyond its locations. For producers, the strength of the local community and the availability of regional resources can play a key role in enhancing a production.
We were reminded of this yesterday during a visit to new Chamber member Open Air Adventure Flights at their hangar at Bunbury Airport. Run by husband-and-wife team Johan and Hayley, the business operates a beautifully restored 1941 Boeing Stearman biplane, offering scenic flights and, who knows, perhaps even the perfect backdrop for a future film scene.
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