In the wake of turmoil unleashed by the Trump administration’s Liberation Day demands, Australian industry body Screen Producers Australia (SPA) is re-emphasising the country’s tough commissioning environment and reinforcing its call for local content quotas on streaming platforms.

SPA this week released findings from a member survey that it says “highlight the tough commissioning environment and pessimism resulting from the delay in implementing local content rules on streaming platforms”.

More than 170 productions have been impacted, victim to “stalled, missed or collapsed commissions”, SPA said, adding that 15,000+ screen jobs had been lost across 61 screen businesses.

SPA also pointed out missed cultural and economic opportunities, estimating the figure to be A$1 billion+ in lost budgets.

“While audiences are quickly moving to streaming, our local content rules have not moved with them and are stuck in limbo,” said SPA CEO Matthew Deaner.

“The sooner this policy impasse is resolved, the better for Australian audiences, our members and the whole local screen industry.”

“Thousands of small businesses and creative workers in our industry depend on the Australian Government achieving some sort of outcome,” he added.

“The impasse over this regulation is given as the reason for a slowdown in project greenlighting, with each stalled, missed or collapsed commission leading to millions in lost investments, job losses, business uncertainty and less local content production that will continue to affect audiences for years,” Deaner said.