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Liberal MP Thinks It’s Time To End Netflix’s “Free Ride” In Australia

By  |  September 27, 2020

Liberal MP and co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of the Screen Industry Trent Zimmerman has urged Netflix to support the local screen industry after years of having a “free ride” in Australia.

In an opinion piece for The Guardian, Zimmerman wrote that more commitment is required for streaming companies to the local industry.

“It’s time for streaming services, which are enjoying growing and significant revenues from Australians, to stump up and support our own screen sector,” he said.

“They are currently getting a free ride and a competitive advantage over traditional media, which is both unfair but also denying Australians the chance to be part of our own stories.”

Zimmerman also discussed Australia’s current local content quotas, which see FTA broadcasters legally required to play a certain amount of local programming.

These quotas are not applied to services like Netflix.

“Our laws and support systems for Australian screen content don’t yet reflect the way in which all of us are consuming content,” he said.

Full Content: The Guardian

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