Save Australian Stories

As a child, I lived for a time with my family in the French Alps, far from the beaches, bush and vast blue skies of home. One day, my parents took us on a long drive to Geneva to see Crocodile Dundee at the cinema. 

I remember the film clearly: the jokes, the Aussie accents, the wild animals, the outback scenery. Instantly, I was transported home. That’s the power of Australian stories: they unite us, ground us and remind us who we are.

But right now, those stories are at risk of disappearing – and the Albanese government is letting it happen.

The Australian screen industry is shrinking – fast. At risk are the jobs of screenwriters, directors, camera crews, actors, editors, costume designers, set builders, post-production workers and more. 

The major culprit? Streaming platforms, which have virtually abandoned Australian stories. Meanwhile, these companies take billions from Australians each year and, in the case of international streamers, pay less than 1% in tax. What’s more, they use the NBN – funded by Australian taxpayers – to deliver their services. 

So, what is the Albanese government doing about it? Nothing. At three elections – 2019, 2022 and 2025 – Labor promised to act, pledging new laws to force streaming companies to invest in Australian content. Yet, more than three years after this government was elected, there is no legislation in sight.

The Australian screen industry has proposed a practical solution: to require streaming services to reinvest 20% of their Australian revenue into local stories. It’s fair, it’s achievable, and it’s crucial. Other countries such as France and Spain already have similar rules in place.

So much is at stake. Without a thriving, homegrown screen industry, Australian stories will disappear. We may not get another Crocodile Dundee, Bluey or Priscilla: Queen of the Desert. Australian kids will grow up without hearing their accents or seeing people like them on screen. Films that would define the next generation of Australians might never be made.

That’s why I’ve launched a petition called Save Australian Stories. It calls on Arts Minister Tony Burke and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to deliver on their commitment and legislate that international streaming platforms invest in Australian stories by mid 2026.

So, please support the campaign and spread the word. Every signature matters, and every share helps. Because if Australia’s screen industry collapses, we lose more than just entertainment – we lose a vital piece of who we are.

Support the petition

Please support Zali’s petition to Save Australian Stories.

Visit change.org/p/save-australian-stories and add your signature.

And follow @saveaustralianstories on socials for all updates