What we’re fighting for
more Australian content on our stages, speakers, screens, walls, and shelves.
we will be campaigning for reform and funding across the arts and for stage & screen, music, writing, and the visual arts.
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1. YOUTH CULTURAL VOUCHER SCHEME
PROBLEM
Young Australians face increasing cost barriers to accessing culture, contributing to declining engagement with Australian arts and weakening future audiences and participation across all disciplines.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Introduce $100 annual cultural vouchers for 16–21 year olds to spend on Australian cultural products (books, music, film, live performance). This would increase participation, support local industries, and build lifelong cultural engagement.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Federally administered (Services Australia or similar). Applies to all Australians aged 16–21, redeemable through registered cultural providers.
COST ~$180M p.a.
MODEL
France Culture Pass; Italy App18
2. CREATIVE FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAM
PROBLEM
Early- and mid-career artists face unstable incomes and limited time to develop work, leading to attrition and loss of talent across all artforms.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Establish a national fellowship program (e.g. 200 fellowships p.a. at $100K over three years) to support artists across disciplines. This would enable sustained creative development, increase output, and retain talent.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Administered via Creative Australia. Open to artists across all disciplines, with a focus on early- to mid-career practitioners.
COST ~$60M p.a.
MODEL
MacArthur Fellowships (US); Creative Australia Fellowships
3. AI & CREATOR RIGHTS FRAMEWORK
PROBLEM
AI systems are using creative works without consent or compensation, undermining creator rights and threatening long-term sustainability of creative industries.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
The Commonwealth is currently reviewing the Copyright Act. This review must safeguard creators and artists’ rights. Big tech must not be given special exemptions under the Copyright Act to datamine or steal artistic content. New regulatory requirements must be introduced for consent, payment, and transparency in AI training and outputs. This would protect intellectual property, ensure fair remuneration, and establish clear rules for emerging technologies.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Federally legislated (Attorney-General’s Department / Communications). Applies to AI developers and platforms operating in Australia.
COST Regulatory
MODEL
EU AI Act, GDPR
https://artificialintelligenceact.eu
https://gdpr-info.eu/
4. SUSTAINED ARTS FUNDING FOR SMEs
PROBLEM
Small-to-medium arts organisations are the lifeblood of Australian creativity, producing the majority all new creative work in many artforms. But they remain underfunded and reliant on short-term grants, limiting their ability to plan, grow, and support artists and cultural workers.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Increase multi-year funding for small-to-medium arts organisations. The available small-to-medium organisations funding pool should be roughly doubled to approximately $90m a year for the next round starting in 2028. This would mean more organisations can be funded, and strengthen sector capacity, support employment, and improve long-term cultural output.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Increase current 4-Year Investment Fund administered via Creative Australia to 5-years. Applies to eligible small and medium arts organisations across disciplines.
COST ~$45M+ p.a. (additional) from 2028
MODEL
Existing multi-year funding frameworks such as the 4 Year Investment Fund (Creative Australia)
5. ARMS LENGTH GOVERNANCE
PROBLEM
Perceived or actual political influence over arts funding undermines sector confidence, independence, and long-term decision-making.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Reinforce and recommit to arms-length governance in arts funding and programming decisions, ensuring independent, expert-led allocation of resources. This would increase trust, transparency, and sector stability.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Federally legislated / policy reform. Applies to Creative Australia and related funding bodies.
COST COST-neutral
MODEL
Established arms-length peer reviewed arts funding systems (Australia, UK, Canada)
https://www.artscouncil.org.uk
https://creative.gov.au/investments-opportunities/assessment/assessment-panels
6. ARTS & HUMANITIES FEE REFORM (Job-ready Graduates Review)
PROBLEM
The Job-ready Graduates scheme significantly increased student fees for arts and humanities degrees, creating a financial barrier to entry and discouraging enrolment in creative disciplines. This has contributed to declining pipelines of writers, artists, and creative professionals, despite strong demand across the creative economy.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Review and rebalance student contribution levels for arts and creative degrees to better reflect workforce demand and economic contribution. This would improve access, rebuild the talent pipeline, and align higher education settings with Australia’s growing creative industries.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Federally led review via the Department of Education, with changes to student contribution bands under the Higher Education Support Act. Applies to university courses in arts, writing, and creative disciplines.
COST Moderate (revenue foregone / rebalanced across disciplines)
MODEL
Pre-Job-ready Graduates fee settings; OECD-aligned tertiary funding MODELs
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1. AUSTRALIAN MUSIC DISCOVERABILITY OBLIGATION
PROBLEM
Australian artists are becoming increasingly invisible on streaming platforms, with a 30% decline in local artists appearing in top-streamed rankings. Algorithmic systems favour global content, limiting discovery. Emerging Australian artists are struggling to “break”.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Require streaming platforms to embed Australian content into editorial and algorithmic systems, alongside mandated reinvestment in local discoverability. This would increase visibility, rebalance algorithmic bias, and strengthen the domestic music pipeline.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Federally administered (Arts/Communications, ACMA/ACCC). Applies to streaming platforms above a national subscriber/revenue threshold.
COST Regulatory
MODEL
EU Digital Services Act; Canadian discoverability frameworks
https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/digital-services-act-package
2. MUSIC STREAMING LEVY (2%)
PROBLEM
Streaming platforms generate significant revenue from Australian audiences but do not systematically reinvest in the local music ecosystem, weakening the long-term sustainability of Australian music.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOM
EIntroduce a 2% levy on Australian streaming revenue to fund artist development, discoverability, and industry infrastructure. This creates a self-sustaining funding MODEL linked to digital consumption.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Federally legislated and administered via the ATO and Music Australia (or equivalent), with funds distributed across artists, venues, and industry programs. Levy administered by ATO/Treasury. Funds distributed by Music Australia.
COST Revenue generator (industry-funded)
MODEL
France’s streaming levy (Centre National de la Musique)
3. STATE-BASED ARENA LEVY & NATIONAL MUSIC TRUST ALIGNMENT
PROBLEM
Australia’s live music sector generates significant revenue at the top end but lacks a mechanism to reinvest that value into grassroots venues, artists, and touring infrastructure, leading to increasing ecosystem fragility.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Introduce a 3% ticket levy on large-scale concerts in venues with a capacity of 3,000+, with revenue reinvested into local music ecosystems. This creates a sustainable “top-to-bottom” funding MODEL in which commercial success directly supports future Australian artists and venues.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
State governments implement levies via major state-owned venues and ticketing systems, aligned to a common national framework. Revenue collected by state revenue offices. For privately owned venues, levy collection and/or distribution is coordinated federally via the ATO and Music Australia.
Applies to all ticketed live music events in venues with 3,000+ capacity.
COST Revenue generator ($100M+ p.a. potential depending on uptake and touring volume)
MODEL
Victorian Music Trust (ticket levy on major venues)UK arena levy; France CNM redistribution MODEL
https://www.ukmusic.orghttps://cnm.fr
4. VENUE INSURANCE REFORM PACKAGE
PROBLEM
Public liability insurance COSTs for live music venues have increased dramatically, with premium rises of up to 400–1000%, creating a market failure that is forcing closures and undermining the live ecosystem.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Implement coordinated reform, including tort reform, government-backed underwriting, and industry risk pooling. This would stabilise insurance COSTs and protect essential cultural infrastructure.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
State-led (insurance and liability frameworks), with federal coordination and potential underwriting support. Applies to compliant live music venues.
COST Regulatory + contingent underwriting support
MODEL
New Zealand ACC; UK and Canadian liability frameworks
5. NATIONAL SUPPORT ACT REQUIREMENT (“Michael’s Rule”)
PROBLEM
Opportunities for Australian artists to access large touring audiences are restricted and inconsistent across states, limiting exposure and career progression.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Introduce a national requirement for international touring acts to include Australian support acts, ensuring consistent opportunities and strengthening artist pathways.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Federally administered via visa conditions (Migration Act) and additionally via Creative Australia, supported by state-based incentives in publicly owned venues.
COST Regulatory
MODEL
NSW “Michael’s Rule”
6. LIVE MUSIC MARKET COMPETITION REVIEW (ACCC Inquiry)
PROBLEM
Australia’s live music market is increasingly concentrated, with vertically integrated companies controlling promotion, ticketing, and venues. This reduces competition, limits opportunities for Australian artists and independent promoters, and restricts reinvestment into the local ecosystem.
Solution & Outcome
Direct the ACCC to undertake a formal inquiry into competition in Australia’s live music market, including promoter dominance, ticketing practices, and vertical integration. This would identify anti-competitive behaviour, improve market transparency, and support a more open and competitive live music sector.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Federally initiated via the Treasurer or Minister for Competition. Conducted by the ACCC under existing inquiry powers. Applies to major promoters, ticketing platforms, and venue operators.
COST Low (regulatory inquiry)
MODEL
US Department of Justice antitrust action against Live Nation/ TicketmasterUK Competition and Markets Authority ticketing investigations
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1. PUBLIC LENDING RIGHTS (PLR/ELR) UPLIFT
PROBLEM
Australian authors receive limited income from library lending, with current PLR/ELR rates failing to reflect the real value of their work or provide sustainable earnings. This contributes to the collapse of mid-career writers and reduces long-term literary output.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Increase PLR/ELR payments (e.g. 30–50% uplift) to better compensate authors for public use of their work. This would provide a stable baseline income, support career sustainability, and strengthen the national writing ecosystem.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Federally administered via Creative Australia / Office for the Arts. Applies to Australian authors and eligible titles held in public and educational libraries.
COST Modest program expansion (~$10–20M p.a.)
MODEL
UK Public Lending Right scheme
2. PUBLISHING TAX OFFSET (20%)
PROBLEM
Australian-owned publishers face increasing pressure from global consolidation, rising COSTs, and reduced margins, limiting their ability to invest in new Australian authors and local intellectual property.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Introduce a 20% tax offset for eligible Australian publishers investing in local authors and content. This would incentivise local publishing, increase output, and retain Australian IP ownership.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Administered via Treasury. Applies to Australian-based publishers meeting local content thresholds and investment criteria.
COST Tax expenditure (scalable)
MODEL
Australian screen production offsets
3. INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING & TRANSLATION FUND
PROBLEM
Australian books are underrepresented in global markets due to limited investment in translation, international marketing, and export development, particularly in high-growth regions such as Asia.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Establish a dedicated fund for translation, international marketing, and participation in global literary markets and festivals. This would expand export opportunities, increase international readership, and grow Australia’s cultural footprint.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Administered by Creative Australia / Writing Australia. Applies to publishers, authors, and literary agents pursuing international markets.
COST Program expansion (~$10M+ p.a.)
MODEL
Canada Council translation programs; EU Creative Europe
https://canadacouncil.cahttps://culture.ec.europa.eu
4. BOOKSELLER TAX OFFSET (20%)
PROBLEM
Independent Australian bookshops face rising operational COSTs and competition from global online retailers, reducing their capacity to stock and promote Australian titles.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Introduce a 20% tax offset for Australian-based bookshops, tied to the stocking and promotion of Australian-authored titles. This would strengthen local retail, increase visibility of Australian books, and support the broader publishing ecosystem.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Administered via Treasury. Applies to Australian bookshops meeting local content and sales thresholds.
COST Tax expenditure (moderate)
MODEL
Retail support and cultural tax incentives (France/Europe book sector support)
5. NATIONAL SCHOOL LIBRARIES & AUSTRALIAN BOOK QUOTAS
PROBLEM
Access to books and Australian literature in schools is inconsistent, with many schools lacking adequate library infrastructure and limited exposure to Australian authors in curricula.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Commit to a library in every school and introduce a minimum 15% quota for Australian-authored books in school collections. This would improve literacy outcomes, increase access to local stories, and build future audiences for Australian writing.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Joint federal–state delivery via education systems. Applies to public and private schools receiving government funding.
COST Capital + program investment (scalable, multi-year)
MODEL
UK school library standards; Canadian education content frameworks
6. WRITING AUSTRALIA SECTOR INVESTMENT
PROBLEM
Australia’s writing ecosystem - including writers’ centres, festivals, independent publishers, and literary journals - is underfunded and fragmented, limiting development pathways and sector sustainability.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Increase funding to Writing Australia and associated organisations to support career development, publishing pathways, festivals, and literary platforms. This would rebuild the national writing pipeline and strengthen cultural production.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Administered via Creative Australia / Writing Australia. Applies to writers’ centres, festivals, independent publishers, journals, and sector organisations.
COST Program expansion (~$20–30M p.a.)
MODEL
Arts Council England literature funding programs
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1. STREAMING RESIDUALS FOR AUSTRALIAN CREATORS
PROBLEM
Australian writers, actors and creatives do not receive fair residual payments from streaming platforms, unlike traditional broadcast MODELs. This weakens income stability and reduces the sustainability of screen careers.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Mandate residual payments for Australian creatives in streaming contracts, ensuring ongoing compensation tied to the success of content. This would improve income security and align streaming with established industry standards.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Federally legislated (Attorney-General’s / Communications). Applies to streaming platforms and production agreements involving Australian creatives.
COST Regulatory
MODEL
US WGA and SAG-AFTRA streaming residual agreements
https://www.wga.orghttps://www.sagaftra.org
2. LOCAL CONTENT OBLIGATIONS FOR STREAMING AND BRODCASTING
PROBLEM
Australian stories are underrepresented on streaming platforms, while existing local content rules are limited and inconsistently applied across broadcasters and digital platforms.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Expand local content quotas across streaming platforms and strengthen public broadcaster obligations (e.g. ABC drama investment). This would increase production of Australian content and ensure visibility of local stories.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Federally administered (ACMA / Department of Communications). Applies to streaming platforms operating in Australia and national broadcasters.
COST Low (regulatory with some public investment uplift)
MODEL
EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD)
https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/audiovisual-media-services-directive
3. NATIONAL STAGE & PERFORMING ARTS TOURING FUND
PROBLEM
Australian theatre and performing arts productions face high touring COSTs and limited support, restricting access to regional audiences and reducing the viability of national touring circuits.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Establish a dedicated national fund to support touring and production of Australian stage works, particularly in regional Australia. This would expand access, create jobs, and strengthen the performing arts ecosystem.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Administered via Creative Australia. Applies to theatre companies, producers, and performing arts organisations.
COST~$10M p.a.
MODELUK Arts Council touring funds
https://www.artscouncil.org.uk
4. SCREEN WORKFORCE CAPACITY & TRAINING FUND
PROBLEM
Australia’s screen industry faces critical below-the-line workforce shortages (crew, technical roles), limiting the ability to scale production and capture global demand. Without investment, productions risk moving offshore and domestic capability will stagnate.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Establish a national workforce fund to train, upskill, and retain below-the-line crew across film and television. This would expand production capacity, support job creation, and ensure Australia remains globally competitive.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Administered via Screen Australia in partnership with industry bodies and training providers. Applies to crew, trainees, and production companies.
COST ~$20–30M p.a.
MODEL
UK ScreenSkills; Canadian workforce development programs
5. NATIONAL SCREEN INFRASTRUCTURE & STUDIO INVESTMENT FUND
PROBLEM
Demand for studio space and production infrastructure is outstripping supply, creating bottlenecks that limit Australia’s ability to host major productions and grow domestic output.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Invest in new and expanded studio facilities, post-production infrastructure, and regional production hubs. This would unlock production growth, attract international investment, and support local industry expansion.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Joint federal–state delivery via infrastructure and screen agencies. Applies to studio operators, production companies, and regional development projects.
COST Capital investment (multi-year, scalable)
MODEL
UK Pinewood expansion; Australian state studio investments (NSW, VIC)
6. SCREEN INDUSTRY MENTAL HEALTH & ON-SET WELLBEING STANDARDS
PROBLEM
The screen industry faces a growing mental health crisis driven by long hours, insecure employment, and the project-based nature of production. Most productions lack formal HR structures or consistent wellbeing support, leaving cast and crew without adequate care before, during, or after projects.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Introduce national on-set wellbeing standards, including mandatory mental health support roles on productions above a defined budget threshold. This would improve working conditions, reduce burnout, and support a safer, more sustainable screen workforce.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY Administered via Screen Australia and funding agreements. Applies to publicly funded productions and productions above a defined budget threshold; includes requirement for a designated wellbeing officer and access to mental health resources.
COST Low to moderate (embedded in production budgets)
MODEL
UK Film & TV Charity “Whole Picture Programme”; emerging industry-led wellbeing standards
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1. INTERNATIONAL VISUAL ARTS EXPORT FUND
PROBLEM
Australian visual artists and galleries are underrepresented in global markets due to limited support for international exhibitions, fairs, and promotion.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Create a dedicated fund to support Australian artists and galleries exhibiting internationally. This would increase export income, global visibility, and Australia’s cultural presence abroad.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Administered via Creative Australia. Applies to artists, galleries, and curators participating in international exhibitions and art fairs.
COST ~$10M p.a.
MODEL
Canada Council international touring programs
2. PUBLIC ART INVESTMENT MANDATE
PROBLEM
Public investment in infrastructure is not consistently leveraged to support Australian artists, missing opportunities to embed culture into the built environment.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Introduce a “percent for art” scheme requiring a small percentage (e.g. 1%) of federal infrastructure spending to be allocated to public art commissions. This would create jobs, increase visibility, and integrate art into public life.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Federally mandated across infrastructure projects, delivered in partnership with states and local governments.
COST Embedded within existing infrastructure budgets
MODELPercent-for-art schemes (US, UK, Europe)
https://www.americansforthearts.org
3. ARTIST FEE & FAIR PAYMENT STANDARDS
PROBLEM
Many visual artists are not paid for exhibitions, commissions, or public programs, leading to widespread income insecurity and unsustainable careers.
SOLUTION & ANTICIPATED OUTCOME
Mandate minimum artist fees for publicly funded exhibitions and programs, aligned with NAVA’s Code of Practice. This would ensure fair remuneration and improve career sustainability.
IMPLEMENTATION & ELIGIBILITY
Administered via Creative Australia and funding agreements. Applies to all federally funded galleries, institutions, and projects.
COST Modest program uplift
MODEL
NAVA Code of Practice; Canada CARFAC fee schedule