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Member Update:
Budget 2020-21
The Government announced the Federal Budget for 2020-21 on Tuesday night which outlines planned expenditure over the coming year.

This Budget is heavily focused on employment initiatives and economic recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a tough time to get additional funding allocations.


First Nations Media Australia did put in a pre-budget submission to Treasury requesting a funding commitment to support our sector's 9 Calls for Action. However no additional funding for our sector was announced in the Budget. While this is disappointing we will continue our leadership activities on behalf of the sector, calling for increased support for the essential work First Nations media organisations are undertaking across the country and your significant contribution to Closing the Gap. For this year, funding arrangements through the IAS remain unchanged.
What is in the Budget?
While there is no additional funding allocated to our sector directly, the Budget does contain the following commitments in areas that connect to our work in the following ways:

Media
  • $19.9 million to the Community Broadcasting Program distributed through the Community Broadcasting Foundation (CBF). A slight increase on the $19.7 million provided through the CBF this year. This amount was expected and includes support for a number of community broadcasting sector projects already underway or in development. It's worth noting that this amount is forecast to drop to about $16 million next year when previous funding allocations for sector projects reduce.
  • $48.7 million to extend the Public Interest News Gathering subsidies for regional publishers. This is largely focused on commercial media, but First Nations media organisations can also apply.
  • Funding to the ACMA has increased from $133 million to $150 million, largely due to projects carried over from this year to next. This includes $7.2 million over two years to invest in systems for more efficient spectrum allocation and simplify the digital spectrum licence system.

Employment
  • JobMaker hiring credit - part of the Government's response to COVID-19 is a boost for the employment of young people. Eligible employers can claim $200 a week for each additional eligible employee they hire aged 16 to 29 years old; and $100 a week for each additional eligible employee aged 30 to 35 years old for a period up to 12 months. See eligibility details here.

Screen
  • Extension of the VAST program for four years to enable access to free-to-air television services in remote communities to 2024.
  • $30 million over two years to support the production of Australian drama, documentary and children's screen content through Screen Australia
  • $20.2 million over two years to support the development, production and distribution of children's screen content through the Australian Children's Television Foundation
  • $3 million over three years to establish a Screen Writing and Script Development Fund with projects to be supported through a competitive grants program.

Arts, Culture & Languages
  • $7.6 million over four years (and $1.9 million ongoing) to the SBS to provide enhanced language services.
  • Funding to support the Australian music sector will increase from $1.3 million to $6.3 million this year and in the following three years.
  • The Australian Film, Television & Radio School (AFTRS) and the National Film & Sound Archive (NFSA) have both received funding increases this year.

Digital connectivity
  • $30.3 million over two years to extend the Regional Connectivity Program
  • $1.4 million over two years to establish the Australian Broadband Advisory Council focused on the economic benefits of increased digital connectivity.
  • JobMaker Digital Business Plan - $796.5 million over four years from 2020-21 to further drive progress towards Australia becoming a leading digital economy by 2030 and to improve productivity, income growth and jobs by supporting the adoption of digital technologies by Australian businesses. This includes speeding up the rollout of 5G infrastructure ($7.2 million) and improving access to Government services online ($256.6 million). This funding provision includes modernising digital infrastructure and support for small businesses, which has potential for crossover with our sector particularly in relation to shared infrastructure.

Closing the Gap
  • The Government has already committed $46.5 million over four years to support Priority Reform Two in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap to build the community-controlled sector, funded from the IAS allocation. An additional $10.1 million over four years will be provided to the Productivity Commission to monitor progress on the Closing the Gap targets.
What else?
Non-media related areas that may be of interest include:

  • $2 million to support the development of design of a Noongar Indigenous cultural centre in Perth
  • $16.7 million in National Partnership payments to the States and Territories for Indigenous health programs, targeting conditions including trachoma, sexually transmitted infections and rheumatic fever.
  • $14.8 million over four years to employ Indigenous rangers to remove ghost nets from Australia’s northern waters. This is in addition to a recent announcement of $3.1 million to create four new Indigenous River Ranger groups in the Murray-Darling Basin.
  • $3.9 million to extend the “Time to Work Employment Service” by a further 12 months, to help First Nations prisoners transition into work after their release
  • $4 million to continue the Remote Point of Care testing program in regional and remote communities for COVID-19
What now?
Hugh Watson Consulting is currently undertaking a Roundtable Process to make recommendations to the NIAA about funding arrangements and opportunities to respond to emerging technological changes. Consultation is currently underway with a report due in January 2021. This is an opportunity for you to have a say, so please make sure you respond to survey requests and/or reach out via IAGTelecommunications@niaa.gov.au

Meanwhile, First Nations Media Australia is in the final stages of negotiating the Access to Information target to be added to the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, which will include digital inclusion and culturally relevant media.  

We will continue putting the case forward appropriate resourcing requests on behalf of the sector through various Government departments and networks throughout the year, as well as developing relationships with non-Government funders to support our members.

We are working alongside our friends at the CBAA and other peak bodies to address the loss of income members are facing this year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Those discussions continue with urgency.

For further information contact our Policy Officer, Claire Stuchbery: claire@firstnationsmedia.org.au or 0403 520 765.
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FIRST NATIONS MEDIA AUSTRALIA
2/70 Elder St,
PO Box 2731 Alice Springs NT 0871
08 8952 6465 | www.firstnationsmedia.org.au





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