The Greens have announced a $158 million initiative to boost the Australian games industry. The plan is based on the recommendations from an April report out of the Senate Environment and Communications References Committee. The report on the future of Australia’s video game development industry, which contained a variety of proposals designed to stimulate the sector, was called for by The Greens this time last year.
The Greens are calling on government to give the Australian video games industry the same level of support other creative industries are afforded, noting that the $2 billion in retail revenue the industry already generates in Australia makes it larger than the local film industry.
The Australian videogames industry is a perfect example of the sort of innovative 21st Century industry that the current Prime Minister gushes about.
“The Australian videogames industry is a perfect example of the sort of innovative 21st Century industry that the current Prime Minister gushes about,” said Australian Greens Communications spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam in a statement. “We’d prefer that enthusiasm translated into real action, so that’s why we’re announcing this $158 million package to assist the industry.”
“The consensus report from our senate inquiry into the future of the industry made it clear that government can galvanise the local industry, in the form of grants, low-interest loans and tax offsets to foster growth, and to ensure that Australian talent stays in Australia.”
The key element of The Greens’ plan is their proposal to extend the ‘Producer Tax Offset’ (a refundable tax rebate for producers of Australian feature films and television) to video game developers. The ‘Producer Tax Offset’ has never been applied to game developers.
“We have the absurd situation now where an international studio working on a huge franchise receives massive backing from the government for the film, yet local developers working on the game tie-in do not,” explained Ludlam.
The Parliamentary Budget Office has estimated that extending the offset in this way will cost $133 million and, according to The Greens, it would probably be the single most important initiative the party could take for “providing enduring confidence in the industry.”
You can read more about The Greens’ video game industry initiative here.
Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter @MrLukeReilly.
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