Premier wants movie tax break increased

ANNASTACIA Palaszczuk wants to double a tax break to lure international moviemakers to film more blockbusters in Queensland.

The Premier will push for the location tax offset to be permanently lifted from 16.5 to 30 per cent at a meeting of culture ministers – including Federal Arts Minister Mitch Fifield – in Brisbane today.

“Queensland and Australia is competing with the UK, Canada, Asia and parts of the United States and we need that permanent increase to be competitive,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

The offset was temporarily increased in 2014 to entice Disney to film the $230 million production of Pirates of the Caribbean 5 on the Gold Coast. It was also increased to secure the filming of Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok in Queensland.

Screen Queensland says lifting the incentive would see an immediate injection of up to $100 million in film production.