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Hundreds of actors turn out for Melbourne rally

Press Release from Equity Foundation

More than 250 performers gathered at the Wheeler Centre on Sunday morning to demonstrate their opposition to the proposed changes to the foreign actor guidelines.

The draft Foreign Actor Certification Scheme Guidelines, released in late May by the Office for the Arts, propose to remove restrictions on the number of foreign performers that can be imported for an Australian film or television production.

The meeting of performers, which you can read about here and here, passed the following resolution unanimously:

1. Expresses its shock, anger and deep concern over the draft Foreign Performers Certification Scheme Guidelines prepared by the Office of the Arts,
2. Expresses its deep disappointment that a Government department responsible for the promotion of the arts in Australia would develop any proposal such as this which so fundamentally undervalues the role of Australian performers in the Australian screen production industry and which, if implemented would threaten Australia’s unique and fragile screen culture;
3. Welcomes the intervention of the Minister for the Arts, Simon Crean, ensuring the establishment of an appropriate consultation process on the proposed changes;
4. Welcomes the organisation of a meeting to be chaired by the Office of the Arts involving the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance, and other industry stakeholders with a view to reaching an agreement to establish a new set of guidelines that protect and promote Australia’s cultural identity, and properly ensure opportunities for Australian performers on screen productions produced in Australia – particularly those funded directly and indirectly by Australian taxpayers and supported by local content regulation.
5. Calls on Equity to continue the “Save Places for Aussie faces” campaign, through political and if necessary industrial means, until an acceptable outcome on this issue has been achieved and confirms that performers stand ready, willing and able to take whatever action is required to ensure this occurs.

Actors Equity director, Simon Whipp, said: “Since we launched the Save spaces for Aussie faces campaign we have met with representatives from the Office for the Arts, including Arts Minister Simon Crean, on several occasions. The meetings have been very positive. It appears performers are being heard on this issue, but they will continue to speak out at meetings, rallies, in letters, petitions, advertisements and any other way necessary until the issue is resolved to their satisfaction."