Australia‘s streaming quotas have become law.
Legislation requiring the likes of Netflix, Disney+ and HBO Max to spend a portion of their local earnings on original Australian content has been passed in parliament, and now comes into effect.
The quotas were announced earlier this month. This will see global streamers with more than one million Australian subscribers made to spend 10% of their total Australian expenditure – or 7.5% of their revenues – on local originals, whether they are dramas, children’s shows, docs, or arts and educational programs.
“We have Australian content requirements on free-to-air television and pay television, but until now, there has been no guarantee that we could see our own stories on streaming services,” said Australia’s Arts Minister Tony Burke. “Streaming services create extraordinary shows, and this legislation ensures Australian voices are now front and centre. Now, no matter which remote control you’re holding, Australian stories will be at your fingertips.”
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Failing to comply with the rules will see streamers fined up to ten times their annual revenues in Australia. This is more than what broadcasters are liable for if they breach their quota rules laws. Streamers will be given three years to get their production operations in line.
Streamers have long opposed government-set quotas and content levies, arguing they already meaningfully invest in the production sectors of the countries in which they operate. Producers, in general, have welcomed the systems, but remain wary that they could push streaming services out of their countries.
Today, Screen Producers Australia called said the passing of the legislation, which was known as the Communications Legislation Amendment (Australian Content Requirement for Subscription Video On Demand (Streaming) Services) Bill 2025, reflected a decade of lobbying and campaigning for new rules using #MakeItAustralian and Screen Stories events to push for change.
“Today is a landmark day for Australian screen storytelling” said SPA CEO Matthew Deaner. “It finally puts in place a strong starting point for a regulatory framework that responds to the enormous changes that digital streaming platforms have made to our industry dynamics and viewing habits.
“For more than ten years, our members through SPA have worked both patiently and tirelessly together and with others parts of our industry to support the work needed to ensure that streaming platforms generating significant revenue from Australian subscribers also deliver a consistent and ongoing contribution to our industry and to our audiences, to ensure local Australian stories also find a place on their increasingly dominant services.”
Australian Writers’ Guild and Australian Writers’ Guild Authorship Collecting Societ CEO Claire Pullen added: “This is a watershed moment for Australia’s screen industry. This will give our members and the entire creative community more certainty around their careers, and the industry here at home.”
“Securing local content quotas is a significant step forward in levelling the playing field for streamers and broadcasters, and it acts as a strong reminder of what we’ve been continually told – that Australians want to see more Aussie content on their screens.”
The news came as Australian pubcaster the ABC got a surprise A$50M ($32.5M) funding boost, which will primarily be spent on kids content and other genres.