Bryan Brown helps secures tax win for Australia film industry

Actor Bryan Brown has helped secure the future of Australian big screen movies after making a pitch at Parliament House that the Prime Minister couldn’t refuse.

Actor Bryan Brown has helped secure the future of Australian big screen movies by lobbying the federal government to dump plans to cut a much-needed tax break which added more than $300m to the economy each year.

The government had proposed lifting a tax break, called the producer offset rate for drama and documentary content for television and streaming platforms from 20 per cent to 30 per cent. of a production’s budget.

But in a move condemned by the film industry, it also was set to reduce another tax break, the 40 per cent per cent producer offset rate for Australian feature films with a theatrical release, down to 30 per cent of a movie’s budget, on July 1.

Australian actors Brian Brown, Justine Clarke, Simon Baker and Marta Dusseldorf in Parliament House Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

The cut, which would have reduced local movie production budgets by hundreds of thousands of dollars, led Brown to Canberra to lobby for it to stay.

Brown, who was joined on his second visit by actors Simon Baker, Marta Dusseldorp and Justine Clarke, along with producers and senior screen industry representatives, suggested the cut may have been the consequence of the government directing money towards overseas film productions heading here.

However, he warned the queue of overseas productions coming to Australia could end once COVID-19 was gone, and urged the government to look after the local film industry.

After putting the case against the cut to Arts Minister Paul Fletcher — along with Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg — Brown got what he wanted.

Bryan Brown, pictured with wife Rachel Ward, to look after the local film industry after COVID-19 when the queue of international productions dwindles.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal the federal government will 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 another six months.

Talks are ongoing about a further industry demand for the government to stamp a 20 per cent local content guarantee into law to get more local shows on streaming sites like Netflix and Stan, Brown said.

Mr Fletcher said the 40 per cent producer offset supported around 50 Australian feature films each year, with the total average rebates amounting to $124 million, and the return to the Australian economy being more than $300 million per year.

Australian films like The Dry starring Eric Bana was written by Jane Harper.

“Australian feature films play an important role in our cultural identity and resonate strongly with audiences at home and abroad,” he said.

Screen Australia chief executive officer Graeme Mason said: “The extension of TIF is vital, while the production offset will help allow Australian films like The Dry and Red Dog to continue to be made.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said: “It was the Australian film icon Bryan Brown who made this pitch to me with other leaders of our local filmmaking industry, and we are very proud and pleased to back them in to continue the job of telling our great Australian stories.”