Australia to Set Quota on Local Content Spend for Netflix and Prime

Australia’s biggest streaming platforms, including Netflix and Prime Video, could soon be legally required to spend up to 10 percent of their Australian revenue on locally produced programs under new legislation tabled in Parliament on Nov. 6.

The proposed law would apply to any streaming service with more than one million Australian subscribers, requiring platforms to invest at least 10 percent of their local expenditure or 7.5 percent of their revenue in Australian drama, children’s, documentary, arts, or educational programs.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) would monitor compliance, allowing streamers to spread their investment over three years.

Arts Minister Tony Burke said the Broadcasting Services Amendment Bill would modernise the 1992 Broadcasting Services Act by extending content protections to subscription streaming for the first time.

“This bill allows for an Australian screen content requirement on subscription video-on-demand services in line with the national cultural policy Revive: A Place for Every Story, A Story for Every Place,” Burke told Parliament on Nov. 6.

He said Australian stories were “our greatest cultural asset,” central to national identity and social cohesion.

“They help build a sense of community, collective wellbeing, and a shared identity,” he said.

Australia’s content quotas date back to the 1960s, when television rules were introduced to ensure Australians could see their own language and culture reflected on screen.

While free-to-air and pay-TV broadcasters have long been subject to content rules, global streaming platforms remain free of obligations—something Burke said risks “drowning out our own stories.”

The Albanese government first pledged quotas in 2023 under its Revive cultural policy, building on an earlier Coalition proposal for a voluntary five percent target in 2021. The Greens continue to push for a tougher 20 percent levy.

Industry Welcomes but Wants Clarity

The screen industry has broadly welcomed the move, calling it long overdue but warning that key details remain vague.

“This announcement marks a landmark day for the Australian screen industry,” said Screen Producers Australia CEO Matthew Deaner.

“For too long, global streaming services have benefited from doing business in Australia without contributing fairly to Australian stories.”

Creative organisations, including Save Our Arts, also applauded the change.

“Australia has punched above its weight—from Gallipoli and Mad Max to Bluey and Rake,” the group said.

“Without local content quotas, our creative sector faces an existential threat.”

However, producers say questions remain—from how revenue will be defined to whether the threshold captures companies with broader business operations.

Paramount producer Trev Brazil told The Epoch Times the direction was positive, but details matter.

“It’s good news for Aussie media, culture, and jobs,” he said. “But we don’t yet know what ten percent of local revenue actually means. Is it a starting point or a strategic foothold to raise later?”

Industry observers have also flagged complications for conglomerates like Disney and Amazon, which earn significant revenue from outside their streaming divisions.

Earlier regulatory data showed rapid growth in streamer spending during the pandemic years, but industry groups say investment has since become uneven, prompting calls for minimum requirements.

Local Production Faces a Slump

The legislative push coincides with a downturn in domestic screen production.

According to the 2024 Screen Australia Drama Report, total drama expenditure fell to $1.7 billion, down 29 percent year-on-year and 10 percent below the five-year average.

Of that, $929 million came from Australian titles—just 55 percent of total spending—with the decline driven by fewer high-budget local films and weaker foreign investment.

As streaming platforms now dominate how Australians consume entertainment, binding quotas are essential to keep local stories visible.

“The goal,” Burke said, “is to guarantee that Australian content doesn’t just survive—it thrives.”