Justine Clarke: ‘We need to be telling more Australian stories’

Hollywood has well and truly relocated to Aus, but according to actor Justine Clarke, it’s not all good news.

Right now, all eyes are on us. If you hadn’t noticed, Hollywood has well and truly relocated to Australia, with an array of productions currently being filmed right in our own backyard. And it’s not just Thor, either.

Suddenly everyone from George Clooney and Julia Roberts to Matt Damon are making movies here. And with good reason, too: apart from the obvious near-zero COVID cases, we also have some of the most talented crews and technicians – as well as the most spectacular filming locations – in the world.

”I want my children to tell stories in Australian accents.” (Picture: AAP/Joel Carrett)

It’s created thousands of new jobs for Australians, but we could be in danger of becoming little more than a service arm for the US industry; while the tax breaks are great for overseas productions, they’re crippling for our own producers.

At the same time, streaming services are more popular than ever, yet there are no government quotas to support the creation of more locally-made dramas, documentaries or children’s content.

I started in this industry when I was seven, and was 13 when I appeared in the 1985 film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. The older I get, the more amazed I am to have played little Anna Goanna alongside Mel Gibson.

But even at that young age, I was acutely aware that I was part of something extraordinary – that we were building on a distinctly Australian story that had been created and produced here.

It was one that the world was asking for more of, and that demonstrated exactly what Australia was capable of.

“I think it’s vital for the wellbeing of our kids that they’re seeing themselves represented on our screens.” (Picture: Play School)

Later, when I joined this fresh new drama called Home And Away in 1988, I was part of a complex story about a foster family. My character “Roo” Stewart experienced profound challenges, like the death of her mother to cancer and a teen pregnancy. At that time, it was progressive and uniquely Australian television and it was – and still is, more than 30 years later – being broadcast to the rest of the globe.

People often tell me how much [shows] from Tangle and The Time Of Our Lives to Play School and other brilliant Aussie dramas mean to them. It’s always a privilege to hear it, because these shows belong to all of us.

As not only a children’s-TV producer and presenter, but also as a parent, I think it’s vital for the wellbeing of our kids that they’re seeing themselves represented on our screens. I want my children to play and tell stories in Australian accents; I want them to recognise themselves. Because if you can’t see it, you can’t be it.

Justine Clarke features in this Sunday’s Stellar.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Now is the time to seize this opportunity, reinstate tax offsets for Australian films and make 20 per cent of what you can watch on streaming services Australian.

Otherwise, we could stand to lose a part of our national identity – our right for our voices to be heard and the chance to build on the extraordinary legacy of film- and TV-making that already exists. Significantly, we could lose that diversity of storytelling that we need for our children to feel seen and valued.

Let’s take advantage of this abundance. We can create thousands more jobs for Australians to tell Australian stories and invite more young people into this industry that has given me everything. We have a unique voice and so much to offer. We just need to run with it!

Justine Clarke is an actor, musician, producer and presenter, and ambassador for the Make It Australian campaign.

*Last week it was announced that the federal government will now not only keep the 40 per cent producer offset rate, but also extend the $50 million Temporary Interruption Fund (TIF), that covers losses from COVID, by six months.

Originally published as Justine Clarke: ‘We need to be telling more Australian stories’