Supporting Australian Screen Stories For Children

The Commonwealth Government is seeking community and industry feedback on options to support Australian screen stories in a modern, multi-platform environment.

Do you and your kids enjoy Australian children’s television programs at home or school? Why does this content matter and why should it be a priority to support Australian children’s screen content?

There is one week left to let the Commonwealth Government know how much this content matters.

“By [providing Australian stories for children], we’re saying “you’re worth it”. I get told a thousand times a day – “my child watches Little Lunch over and over again. They absolutely adore it.” That’s why we have to give stories like this to our children.”

Heidi Arena, Actor (Little Lunch, The Inbestigators)

The Commonwealth Government has released an Options Paper to consider future regulatory and funding models for the Australian screen sector. You can read the Options Paper here.

You don’t need to respond to the four models outlined in the Options Paper. The Minister, the Hon Paul Fletcher, has stressed that the Options Paper is intended to spark discussion.

“Australian content is about audiences hearing and seeing their own culture reflected back to them. A show like the upcoming Space Nova is aspirational and very current. Who knows, it might inspire a future Australian astronaut or scientist to travel beyond the stars.”

Suzanne Ryan, Producer (Space Nova)

Quality Australian children’s television content is vulnerable.

If you enjoy Australian children’s content and appreciate its contribution to a developing Australian identity and way of life, and would like to see Australian children’s content prioritised in the Review, we encourage you to write a letter as your submission, highlighting your favourite shows, where you watch them, and how you would like to see them supported in future.

You can email your letter to contentoptionspaper@communications.gov.au by 5pm on 12^th June 2020.

“We know – from our audiences and first-hand feedback – just how much it means to young Aboriginal and Islanders kids to see themselves in a popular form on mainstream TV.”

Ned Lander, Producer (Little J and Big Cuz)