The Australian Greens have secured a Senate inquiry into the Australian video games development industry, with the Senate supporting the inquiry call moved by Greens Senator Scott Ludlam.Ludlam has stated that the inquiry will help establish what the government should be doing to support Australia’s games industry, along with the employment, economic and creative benefits it delivers to the nation.
“Five years ago, Australia had a burgeoning video game development sector employing thousands of talented people in this rapidly growing industry,” Ludlam stated. “Internationally, companies have experienced strong growth thanks to smart government support and favourable regulatory settings.
“In Australia, no such luck: the sector has been treated like the poor cousin of the creative industries, culminating in the Abbott government’s decision to close the $20 million Australian Interactive Games Fund, just 12 months after it was established.”
The Australian Interactive Games Fund had been announced by former arts minister Simon Crean in 2012 to run over the course of three years, however the initiative was axed by the federal government as part of last year’s budget.
Dates for submissions and public hearings will be announced shortly, with the inquiry due to report in April 2016.
