DORA FILM TAX SPAT
Scott Morrison pushed to lock in tax offset for Dora film
THE studio behind blockbuster franchise Dora the Explorer has given the State Government a two-week ultimatum to approve a film of the kids’ favourite being shot on the Gold Coast.
Paramount says it will make the film at Village Roadshow mid-year if their 16.5 per cent tax offset is lifted to 30 per cent.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who yesterday announced Vietnam War film Danger Close would be shot on the Gold Coast, is in favour of the Dora deal. However, it needs the approval of the Federal Government and Treasurer Scott Morrison yesterday was non-committal.
THE studio behind blockbuster franchise Dora the Explorer has given the State Government a two-week ultimatum to approve a film of the kids’ favourite being shot on the Gold Coast.
Paramount says it will make the film at Village Roadshow mid-year only if their 16.5 per cent tax offset is lifted to 30 per cent.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who yesterday announced Vietnam War film Danger Close would be shot on the Gold Coast, is in favour of the Dora deal.
However, it requires the Federal Government to sign off on lifting the tax offset, as recommended by a bipartisan Commonwealth Parliament Committee – and Treasurer Scott Morrison yesterday was non-committal.
The Gold Coast Bulletin understands Paramount will decide by mid-March whether to film on the Gold Coast or consider another location.
Filming is scheduled to begin in July ahead of an August 2018 release date.
Ms Palaszczuk, who is in Los Angeles as part of a trade delegation, has been meeting with major studios.
Having secured Danger Close, she now has her sights set on Dora but said help was urgently needed.
“It is now critical that the Turnbull Government make permanent an increase in the location tax offset incentive at 30 per cent to give studios certainty as they prepare to finance these films,” she said.
“A bipartisan Commonwealth Parliament Committee recommended this late last year.
“I have written to the Prime Minister – now is the time to act or we will not get the films and the jobs that Queensland deserves.”
And it’s not the only film on the Coast’s radar. Ms Palaszczuk this week met with Louis D’Esposito, co-president of superhero giant Marvel.
Following the success of the Gold Coast-shot Thor: Ragnaork, Ms Palaszczuk used the meeting to talk up the Gold Coast and lobbied the comic book kingpin to film the company’s next blockbuster on the Glitter Strip.
Screen Queensland boss Tracey Vieira last night backed the Premier’s calls, saying it was essential for the tax offset to be lifted.
“Aquaman had more than 2100 people work on the production and 81 per cent of those were locals. Aquaman is also the last film to have received a one-off incentive from the Federal Government which acknowledges that the current Location Offset does not work unless a production can navigate getting a one-off increase,” she said.
“Without certainty about an incentive that is competitive, studios just don’t see Australia as a viable location.
“This is not something that can wait. It’s urgent and its impact on our local industry will be significant.”
A spokeswoman for Morrison was noncommittal over questions about whether the Coalition had plans to permanently increase the tax offset for films.
“The Government has provided a number of ‘top-up’ payments to individual films in previous years to incentivise large feature films to come to Australia, recognising the benefits they can bring to local regions,” she said.
“Most recently, the Government supported the filming of Aquaman on the Gold Coast.
“The Treasurer is aware of the proposal to increase the location offset.”
Danger Close, announced yesterday, will film at Nerang and at Village Roadshow from late April and will tell the story of Australians involved in the Battle of Long Tan.
It will star Australian Travis Fimmel.
THE Turnbull Government’s central plan to win the hearts and minds of voters this year is corporate tax cuts.
They have recognised that if we cut the burden on companies they will have greater ability to employ people and, therefore, fuel commercial activity.
Whatever you think of the merits of this argument, if there is to be any consistency from the Coalition it should wholeheartedly embrace a more robust tax offset for the film industry.
The spin-off benefits for the Gold Coast, and indeed to the whole of Australia, from blockbuster productions is undeniable.
Look at the success of Thor: Ragnarok, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Kong: Skull Island.
All high budget films. All shot on the Gold Coast.
These movies injected billions into the economy, employed thousands of people across a diverse range of roles and helped build a workforce with new skill sets.
This is the very definition of what Malcolm Turnbull professes to champion — a forward-looking digitally transformed industry. If we are serious about evolving and continuing to diversify our economy, this is the sort of industry we should be backing.
However, right now our progress is being blighted by mixed messages from Canberra.
When asked yesterday for commitment on getting Dora the Explorer to the Coast, the department of Treasurer Scott Morrision said it “was aware of the proposal”.
There is no consistency and the approach has been ad hoc at best. We need a consistent, cohesive, transparent and competitive tax regimen that will allow us to compete on equal footing with regions across southeast Asia and the world.
In recent years the Gold Coast has developed a reputation as a serious filming destination.
It is a far cry from the 1990s when we were a filming location for critically lambasted, cheap B-movies including Street Fighter and The Phantom.
If we are to be Australia’s answer to Hollywood, it is incumbent upon the Turnbull Government to not be intransigent or obstinate in the face of the economic success they purportedly want to generate.