Building recognition of our high potential industry
Few Australian industries have the potential to create goods with long term value, bring up a generation of versatile tech workers, access billions of consumers, and attract high foreign investment, while also exporting our culture to the world. In fact, we believe video games is the only one. Ours is an advanced, export-based, digital manufacturing sector. With the Federal Government set to introduce a refundable 30% Digital Games Tax Offset (DGTO) from 1 July 2022, we are ushering in a new golden age of Australian game development.
Please read our full policy brief on this topic.
Advocating for grants and tax incentives for game development
Despite being part of the screen production industry, our sector has in the past been excluded from all federal screen funding and incentives, and often limited state and territory support too. For years we fought for a 30% tax offset for game development, something we achieved when the Australian Government announced the introduction of the Digital Games Tax Offset (DGTO), and we continue to fight for the ability of game developers to access Screen Australia funding. We also lobby for strong, cohesive, and effective funding and incentives for game development across the states and territories.
Please read our full policy brief on this topic.
Building a skilled workforce for our industry and Australia
Video game workers are highly trained technology-based creatives with incredibly transferable skills: exactly the kind of workers that not only our industry needs, but a 21st century Australia needs. We support policies that promote STEM in schools and enable higher education institutions with games course to provide the best possible training. We support migration policies that enable our industry to fill skills gaps and, most importantly, bring in the experienced managers and specialists we need to train up our next generation.
Please read our full policy brief on this topic.
Enhancing opportunities in digital trade and exports
Video games are the perfect export for Australia: weightless, high-tech, green, and IP-based with long-term revenue potential. We support export policies that strengthen the opportunities for Australian game developers to grow their existing export markets and to create new ones. We also advocate for international trade agreements and arrangements that encourage foreign investment, promote the open trade of digital goods and services, support the free flow of data, and take practical approaches to IP and data protection.
Please read our full policy brief on this topic.
Telling Australian stories for new audiences at home and abroad
Video gaming is arguably the largest, and certainly the fastest-growing, cultural medium in the world. Games are not only popular, but they are beautiful, complex, and narrative-driven, and many are deservedly celebrated as pieces of art. Video games are also giving a voice to a new generation of Australian story-tellers, and Australian-made games are irresistibly filled with our tones, values, voices, and humour. More so than perhaps any other Australian creative medium, Australian-made games have been quickly embraced by the world, and many are already among Australia’s most impactful cultural exports ever.
Please read our full policy brief on this topic.
Creating opportunities for serious games in government
Video games are no longer just being used for enjoyment and entertainment. Serious games and gamified technologies are finding diverse uses in education, health, policing, defence, and social services, as well as in the business and community sectors. While the serious games sector is still an emerging part of our broader industry, many Australian game developers have significant experience in ‘gamification’ and we remind governments about how games can be used innovatively to deliver policies, programs, and projects.
Please read our full policy brief on this topic.