Telstra has revealed the addition of almost one million new mobile services in the six months to December 2011, but Sensis revenues plummeted 24 percent in 12 months.
That’s the promise, well almost. Senator Stephen Conroy had a chance to pow-wow with local players in the lucrative interactive electronic entertainment industry today.
The Australian Film and Television industry benefits from Government hand outs and help. It seems only fair that a booming, yet struggling industry such as the AU$1 billion plus interactive electronic entertainment should be slimily encouraged.
Recently the Game Developers’ Association of Australia called on the federal government to extend the 40 percent tax rebate given to the film and television industry, to their own.
It fell on deaf ears.
Then an election was announced and the ears of politicians miraculously cured.
Senator Conroy, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, announced this morning that he would establish a high level committee to review the GDAA’s call for a 40% tax rebate for the games industry in Australia if Labor is elected to government.
CEO of the Game Developers’ Association of Australia (GDAA) Greg Bondar said of the Senator’s announcement, “We have been trying for years to get the Australian government to listen to us and recognise the significant contribution that our industry makes to the Australian economy and the potential we have for substantial growth in our industry if we were to benefit from the same sort of rebate as is offered to the Australian film industry.”
“We are thrilled that Senator Conroy is prepared, should Labor be elected to government, to take the time to assess our industry and give sound consideration to our call for a rebate. This is a positive step forward for our industry.”
GDAA President Tom Crago called for the Australian government to reconsider their refusal to extend the rebate to the video game industry. “We want the Government to take another look. This is exactly the type of industry they should be supporting in that it is high growth, highly skilled and almost entirely export focused. We also think it’s about time they recognised the contribution that video games makes to the broader cultural landscape in Australia.”
Senator Conroy met with Gregory Bondar, CEO of the GDAA, Tom Crago, GDAA President and CEO of Tantalus Interactive, Chris Moseley, GDAA Treasurer and CEO of Redtribe and a number of other CEOs including Mike Fegan of IRGurus and Steve Fawkner of Infinite Interactive. The meeting also included a live demonstration for the Senator of some of the latest games being developed in Australia.
“It really is time for our current government to ‘get with it’ and accept just how big this industry is globally,” said Bondar. “We have a chance to make a name for ourselves on the world stage and win significant business if they back our industry in the same way that governments in China, Canada, France and South Korea are doing. It’s time for them to get in the game.”
David Bass
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