Trump tariff threat to Australia’s screen industry

In the new world order, as the American empire seems to be starting to unravel, there are likely to be severe repercussions for other countries and their international cultural presence. One of the unnoticed casualties of the tariff wars may be Australian content and our local screen industry. The export value of Australian screen production is minute in comparison to the vast flood of imported content from the US. However, it is culturally and economically significant for Australia.

The Albanese Government has been promising a new model to ensure that streaming services commit funds to Australian content. The Americans, especially the new regime, are very hostile to any form of regulation or quotas. If they chose to push hard, they might threaten tariffs on other industries that have a tighter grip on Government, like agriculture or mining. In such a scenario cultural production might be sacrificed for bigger sector, that are more significant in terms of economic income, but less important for Australia’s standing and presence in the global world.

The National Film and Sound Archive, custodian of Australia’s long and proud history of screen culture.

The Albanese Government has been promising a new model to ensure that streaming services commit funds to Australian content. The Americans, expecially the new regime, are very hostile to any form of regulation or quotas. If they chose to push hard, they might threaten tariffs on other industries that have a tighter grip on Government, like agriculture or mining. In such a scenario cultural production might be sacrificed for bigger sector, that are more significant in terms of economic income, but less important for Australia’s standing and presence in the global world.

See the whole story on Substack. 

Do you want fries with that?

In my long working life I've traversed the public sector, the private sector and the community sector - not lots of people can say that. I've seen the best – and the worst – of them all. Lately I've noticed a whole new approach to how local businesses interact with me. It's the 'do you want chips with that' approach to upping the spending ante. Given the way that over the last few decades we have started to treat public and community services like private businesses – and often turn them into private businesses – I expect to see this become more widespread.

As businesses go all out to recover from the economic ravages of the pandemic I’ve noticed a whole new approach. Everywhere I get asked ‘how was my day?’ This can become very irritating. I don’t even like to ask myself how my day was.

 

'Do you want fries with that?'

Alongside this new chumminess, there’s an enthusiasm to remind you of extra ways to spend money. It’s the ‘do you want fries with that?’ approach to upping the ante.