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Screen Queensland funding cut shakes film industry confidence
🇦🇺 Australia /Culture & Society

Screen Queensland funding cut shakes film industry confidence

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Queensland will provide Screen Queensland with A$50 million in incentives over the next two years, a real-terms reduction from previous funding levels.
  • Screen Producers Australia says the cut could push productions toward other Australian states and international hubs, despite the sector generating more than A$541 million in direct production spending in 2025-26.
  • Screen Queensland is revising its incentive rates, while the Gold Coast mayor has sought clarification about state funding for the screen industry.

Queensland’s film industry is questioning whether the state can keep attracting major productions after the government reduced real-terms funding for Screen Queensland.

Arts Minister John-Paul Langbroek announced A$50 million in incentives for the state-owned agency over the next two years. Screen Queensland received A$42 million in incentives in the 2025-26 state budget and A$38 million a year in the two budgets before that.

The Queensland government is significantly reducing the incentives that support the attraction of screen production, business and economic activity in the state.

— Matthew DeanerThe Screen Producers Australia chief executive criticized the reduction in incentives.

Matthew Deaner, chief executive of Screen Producers Australia, said the decision confirmed concerns that had grown since the state budget. "The Queensland government is significantly reducing the incentives that support the attraction of screen production, business and economic activity in the state," he said.

Producers have chosen to locate their businesses in Queensland based on the stability and level of state investment.

— Matthew DeanerHe explained why producers had invested in the state.

Producers had located businesses in Queensland because of the stability and scale of state investment, Deaner said. Members were now considering New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia, as well as international production hubs. He called the reduction a "relatively modest saving" that could cost Queensland far more in small-business activity and economic output.

Government figures show Screen Queensland generated more than A$541 million in direct Queensland production spending during 2025-26 and employed more than 6,600 people. The Gold Coast, which has hosted films including Elvis, Aquaman and Thor: Ragnarok, was also caught off guard. Mayor Tom Tate has asked the state for details on the funding and other support planned for 2026-27 and the following financial year.

The risk here is that it undermines Queensland's position as one of Australia's, if not the world's, leading screen-production destinations.

— Matthew DeanerHe warned that the cut could weaken Queensland’s industry position.

Screen Queensland chief executive Jacqui Feeney said rapid growth had brought record demand for funding. The agency is finalizing changes to its incentive rates and said revised incentives would continue alongside the federal government’s 30% offsets and rebates.

Screen Queensland is currently finalising changes to our incentive rates to balance momentum with sustainability across the sector.

— Jacqui FeeneyThe agency chief executive described its response to rising funding demand.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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