Gold Coast has 48 hours to save the local film industry

THE Gold Coast faces losing hundreds of jobs and sending a signal that the city is “not open for business” unless one critical decision is made in the next 48 hours.

ANNASTACIA Palaszczuk says the Federal Government is turning its back on the lucrative Gold Coast film industry as D-Day looms to snare a children's blockbuster.

The state has just 48 hours to sign a multi-million deal for Dora The Explorerto be shot at Village Roadshow at Oxenford.

However, it is reliant on federal Treasurer Scott Morrison approving a tax offset increase from 16.5 to 30 per cent by Friday night. He is refusing to do so.

Village Roadshow Studios Picture: Jerad Williams

A furious Premier Palaszczuk said failure to lock in the film would cost the Gold Coast industry hundreds of jobs and potentially damage the state’s ability to lure top-end movie executives.

“We are on a countdown until Friday. Unless the Federal Government increases the (location) offset we will lose Dora the Explorer,” she said.

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Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (AAP Image/Dan Peled)

“If the Federal Government does not get involved we will lose this film to another country.

“That’s hundreds of jobs on the Gold Coast.”

Dora the Explorer, a live-action adaptation of the popular television series, is scheduled to be shot at the Village Roadshow Studios after the end of the Commonwealth Games. Its makers, Paramount, say they will go elsewhere unless the tax offset is lifted.

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Dora the Explorer

Despite repeated questions to Treasurer Scott Morrison yesterday, a spokesman would only say: “The Turnbull Government has provided a number of ‘top-up’ payments to individual films in previous years to incentivise large feature films to come to Australia, recognising the benefits they can bring to local regions. Most recently, the Government supported the filming of Aquaman on the Gold Coast”.

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Treasurer Scott Morrison. Picture Kym Smith

Federal Communications Minister Mitch Fifield added further fuel to the feud by taking aim at the State Government.

“The Australian Government’s support to the screen industry dwarfs that of the states,” he said.

“As usual the Queensland Labor Government is playing politics. They know full well there are a range of factors involved in decisions on where to base films.”

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Minister for Communications Mitch Fifield (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

He said the Federal Government contributed $300 million annually to the screen industry.

“In addition to this, as has been the practice of successive governments, ‘top up’ payments for large budget international films are provided on a case-by-case basis such as $52 million for Thor: Ragnarok and Aquaman,” the Minister said.

The only major film scheduled to be shot on the Gold Coast is the Vietnam War film Danger Close.

Aquaman received the tax offset from the Federal Government.

A furious Screen Queensland chief executive Tracey Vieira warned the film industry faced international embarrassment if the Government failed to alter the tax scheme, saying studios would steer clear of the Gold Coast.

“Losing this (film) and the tax write-off will send a terrible message to the industry,” he said.

“We do not want to send the message to the film world that we are not open for business and right now it looks like we are not open for business to these productions.

Tracey Vieira, CEO of Screen Queensland CEO. Photo Steve Pohlner

“This is truly urgent — there is bipartisan support for the (tax offset) to be increase, the industry is united, the State is united on this and the only one that can do this is the federal government and we no longer have time for them to wait.

“We are going to be looking at empty infrastructure (such as studios) and our crews moving overseas.”