Australia will introduce laws requiring streaming platforms with more than one million subscribers to devote a minimum share of their Australia-related spending to locally produced content, mandating either at least 10% of their local expenditure or 7.5% of revenue be spent on Australian content. The move, which revives a set of measures postponed last year, is intended to boost the production and availability of Australian programming on on-demand services.
The rules had been scheduled to take effect by July of last year but were delayed amid concerns about how the requirement would interact with a free trade agreement between Australia and the United States. That postponement stalled the government’s original timetable for regulating global streaming services and prompted further review of how the measures would align with international trade commitments. The newly announced requirement returns the issue to the regulatory agenda and sets clear numerical thresholds for contributions to local content.
Under the provisions outlined, streaming services that exceed the one million subscriber threshold will be required to choose between two compliance options: allocating at least 10% of their Australian expenditure to Australian content production, or dedicating 7.5% of their revenue generated in Australia to the same aim. The dual option is intended to give services flexibility in how they support local content while ensuring a minimum level of investment in Australian stories and production capacity.
The announcement was welcomed by industry representatives, with Matthew Deaner, chief executive officer of SPA, saying the announcement marks a landmark day for the Australian screen industry. Industry advocates have for several years pushed for stronger obligations on global streaming platforms to level the playing field with traditional broadcasters, which have long faced local content requirements. Proponents argue that mandatory contributions can sustain jobs, support local production companies and increase the visibility of Australian stories both domestically and internationally.
Critics of mandatory streaming obligations previously cited potential trade implications and the operational challenges of applying national rules to multinational digital services. Those concerns were part of the rationale for the earlier delay while the government assessed how the measures would sit alongside the Australia–United States trade framework. The reinstatement of the rules suggests that authorities have concluded the obligations can be implemented within the broader trade context, though details of that assessment have not been released alongside the announcement.
The requirement to target either local expenditure or revenue represents a shift from purely voluntary arrangements some platforms have adopted for supporting local production. It signals a more prescriptive role for Australian regulation in the digital media sector, with specific numerical targets rather than softer expectations. How platforms will interpret “local expenditure” and how revenue will be calculated for the 7.5% option are technical questions that will need clarification as the laws are drafted or implemented.
The announcement reopens questions about the timing and mechanics of enforcement, the criteria for determining which services meet the subscriber threshold, and the process for approving what counts as qualifying Australian content or expenditure. With the measures having been delayed previously, stakeholders will be seeking further detail on the legislative timetable, compliance rules and reporting requirements that will govern the new obligations.