BIG FLICKS? GIVE US THOR

New film deal something to screen about for Coast

AND the Oscar goes to ...

Movie magic was in the air on the Gold Coast yesterday as the Federal Government’s new Location Incentive achieved the rarest of feats — bipartisan support.

Both sides of politics agree the decision to finally lift the film industry location tax offset to 30 per cent is a game changer for Australia, Queensland and the Gold Coast — one that will help pave the way for a pipeline of blockbuster movies and a permanent screen industry.

The all-star cast the LNP assembled at Village Roadshow Studios yesterday for the official announcement of the new $140 million funding boost was testament to the power of film — and the Gold Coast’s status as the heart of the industry in Queensland.

The Oxenford studios — the largest in Australia, with nine sound stages and an enormous backlot — is tipped to be the largest beneficiary of the funding boost.

As Village Roadshow coCEO Graham Burke AO put it, the studios are “the fulcrum of production in Queensland”.

“It was a joy last year to walk around the studios when Aquaman was being filmed and see 2000 young people working in the profession they love and also learning skills,” Mr Burke said. “The government initiative makes Australia competitive again and will turn Queensland film production around with thousands of people being employed as a result.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop, Federal Arts and Communications Minister Mitch Fifield and Tourism, Trade and Investment Minister Steve Ciobo lead the blockbuster-sized cast of LNP pollies on hand to share the spotlight in a show of unity worthy of an Oscar.

“This represents a positive

policy change ensuring that Australia continues to attract

high quality, large budget feature films which will grow our talent and creative industries,” Ms Bishop said. “It will also promote Australia as a dynamic, innovative economy and tourist destination.”

Federal MPs Stuart Robert, who emceed the event, Bert Van Manen, Luke Howarth, Jane Prentice and Ross Vasta were also there, along with State MP Mark Boothman.

Mr Ciobo said the longcalled for investment in the longevity of our internationally renowned film industry was “another shot in the arm” for the Gold Coast economy.

“The Coalition is very invested in the Gold Coast,” he said. “It is providing record funding for tourism, has $1 billion on the table for the M1 and now tens of tens of millions of dollars more for our film and TV industry.”

The pollies were joined by Academy Award-winning Mad Max’s hair and makeup artist Lesley Vanderwalt and her Oscar, actor Luke Bracey, star of the Queensland-filmed Battle of Long Tan drama Danger Close, Screen Queensland CEO Tracey Vieira and Village Roadshow executives including co-CEO Mr Burke, Studios president Lynne Benzie and Theme Parks and Sea World Resort chief operating officer Bikash Randhawa.

While she wasn’t on the lot for the announcement, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was one of the first to applaud it.

“I’m very pleased the Federal Government has finally come to the party to deliver the location tax offset increase I’ve been continually campaigning for since 2015,” she said.

“Increasing the offset from 16.5 to 30 per cent finally makes Australia world-competitive when it comes to luring international movie-makers to film their blockbusters and there’s no better place than in Queensland.”

The increased incentive is one of numerous measures the industry has lobbied for — from offsets for TV production to incentives for streaming and digital content creators such as Netflix and Stan and content quotas for TV.

While the mechanics of the new rebate’s rollout are yet to be released, Senator Fifield said it was one of several measures the Government was considering to protect and grow local film and TV production.

“Many, many producers want to make films in Australia because they love our talent, they love our people,” Senator Fifield said. “What this does is it gives them the excuse, and the reason, to do just that.”

Within hours of yesterday’s announcement, Mr Burke was delighted to report the policy had worked. Village Roadshow Studios’ Oxenford lot had gone from “almost empty” to fully booked until March 2019.

And the Oscar goes to ...