Tuesday March 10, 2026
ABC launches 'most trusted news source' campaign via Leo - just don't mention the war
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has unveiled a new national brand campaign positioning itself as a trusted news source just days after being forced to correct an inaccurate claim that the United States had bombed Palestinians in Gaza.
The campaign, created with Leo Australia, promotes the idea that trust in journalism is built through persistent questioning and rigorous reporting.
Its launch comes after the public broadcaster issued a correction to an analysis article written by ABC business reporter Gareth Hutchens, which had incorrectly suggested the United States was involved in bombing Palestinians in Gaza.
“An analysis piece published on Sunday, 9 March stated that both the United States and Israel were responsible for the bombing of Palestinians in Gaza,” the ABC said in a correction attached to the article.
“This was incorrect. The story was updated to remove reference to the United States, and an editor’s note has been posted.”
The correction acknowledged that the claim, which appeared in a broader analysis of Australia’s geopolitical relationships, was inaccurate and had been removed.
The incident has renewed scrutiny around the ABC’s editorial processes at a moment when the broadcaster is simultaneously reinforcing its positioning as Australia’s most trusted news source.
ABC business reporter Gareth Hutchens. Source: ABC
‘Keep Asking’: a campaign built around trust
The new campaign, titled ‘Keep Asking’, leans directly into that positioning.
Rolling out across television, out-of-home, radio, digital, and social platforms, the work frames questioning as the foundation of credible journalism.
The campaign arrives at a time when media organisations globally are increasingly leaning on trust as a defining brand attribute in a fragmented information environment.
Milla McPhee, Director of Audiences at the ABC, said the campaign was designed to reinforce the public broadcaster’s role in holding power to account.
“Asking hard questions has never been more important, but never more at risk,” McPhee said.
“Keep Asking is a strong reminder of the role of ABC News, which exists to serve the Australian public.
“It reflects our commitment to quality journalism and the relentless pursuit of truth through asking the questions Australians need answered.”
The ABC has frequently cited its standing in surveys such as Roy Morgan’s annual media trust rankings, where it has consistently ranked among the country’s most trusted news brands.
That reputation, however, also raises the stakes when editorial errors occur, particularly on sensitive international issues.
Leo Australia’s stripped-back creative approach
For Leo Australia, the campaign’s creative execution was designed to mirror the editorial principles it promotes.
The agency opted for a minimal production approach intended to reflect transparency and authenticity.
“We made the deliberate choice to build sets and capture almost everything in-camera to reflect the honesty and integrity at the heart of ABC News,” said Leo Australia Executive Creative Director Tommy Cehak.
“The work is direct, provocative and stripped back because, as ABC News demonstrates every day, it isn’t just about the questions you ask but also the ways in which you ask them.”
The creative concept centres on the idea that journalism’s value lies not in slogans but in the process of investigation itself.
Correction draws attention to editorial transparency
The Gaza correction stemmed from a section of Hutchens’ analysis discussing Australia’s intelligence relationship with the United States.
In the updated version of the article, the focus shifted toward the role of Pine Gap, the joint Australia-United States satellite surveillance facility near Alice Springs.
“Pine Gap, the secretive joint Australia-United States satellite surveillance base in Alice Springs, plays a key role in US global surveillance and in supporting US military operations around the world, including drone strikes,” Hutchens wrote.
“Protesters in the Northern Territory have also been trying to draw attention to the role that Pine Gap may have played in Israel’s relentless bombing of Palestinians in Gaza for the past two and a half years.”
While the ABC moved to correct the original claim within a day of publication, the episode has also raised questions about how corrections are communicated.
Recent data also shows scrutiny of the ABC’s journalism is increasing.
In its mid-year report, the ABC Ombudsman revealed the broadcaster received 3,043 content complaints in the six months to December 2025, up from 2,008 complaints in the same period a year earlier.
Source: ABC Ombudsman
Despite the sharp rise in audience feedback, the number of substantiated breaches increased only marginally.
The Ombudsman investigated 478 more complaints than in the previous year, but ultimately identified just six additional breaches of editorial standards.
Coverage of the Middle East conflict generated the largest volume of complaints during the period, followed by reporting on the Bondi terror attack.
However, the Ombudsman concluded that neither topic resulted in editorial breaches despite attracting hundreds of complaints.
M&C Saatchi CEO Zaid Al-Qassab dips out without a goodbye note
M&C Saatchi chief executive officer Zaid Al-Qassab will step down at the end of March, less than two years after taking the top role at the global advertising group.
Al-Qassab joined the group in 2024 after previously serving as chief marketing officer at Channel 4, replacing co-founder Moray MacLennan, who stepped down in September 2024.
The departure has been described by the company as a mutual agreement and comes after recent profit pressure and ongoing concerns around trading performance.
Al-Qassab’s final day will be 31 March.
Heather Rabbatts
Heather Rabbatts, chair of M&C Saatchi, will move into the role of executive chair while the company searches for a permanent chief executive.
Leadership change follows profit warning
The board said Al-Qassab had played a key role in reshaping the business during a period of structural consolidation.
According to the company, his tenure included integrating more than 40 independent businesses into five operating regions, alongside restarting acquisitions after a seven-year pause.
The board also credited him with integrating two acquisitions and leading the rollout of the group’s Cultural Power proposition.
Rabbatts said Al-Qassab leaves behind a more connected operating structure.
“He leaves the company with a strong and more integrated operating model, creating Cultural Power for our clients by combining world-leading creativity, global reach, and specialist capabilities,” Rabbatts said.
“We wish him all the best for the future.
“In my role as interim executive chair, I will be focused on driving our strategy and shareholder value, and supporting our talented team to continue to deliver best-in-class solutions for our clients through our diverse portfolio of specialisms.”
Financial pressure continues
M&C Saatchi has been under pressure following a January trading update that forecast like-for-like revenue down around 7% for 2025.
Excluding Australia, the decline was expected to be approximately 2.5%, with the Australian business singled out internally as a weak point in the global network.
The company has not yet announced a date for the release of its full-year 2025 results.
Board expands as major shareholder steps in
Alongside the leadership change, M&C Saatchi confirmed the appointment of Vin Murria as director and deputy chair, effective immediately.
Murria is a major shareholder, holding 11.8% of the business.
She said she intends to support the company’s next phase of growth.
“As a long-term shareholder, I am looking forward to working with Heather and the Board to support the delivery of the Company’s strategy and to drive the business forward,” Murria said.
“M&C Saatchi is a special business that has significant exposure to high-growth sectors through its diverse portfolio of specialisms with huge potential for value creation across all its constituent parts.”
The company also appointed Nicholas Shott as an independent director.
Shott brings more than three decades of financial services experience, including senior roles at Lazard.
AdvancedAdvT, which holds a 9.8% stake in M&C Saatchi through associated interests, has confirmed that it does not intend to make an offer for the company.
Top Image: M+C Saatchi.
'Tough time': Kyle addresses Jackie O feud on Australian Idol
Kyle Sandilands has, for the first time, publicly acknowledged his explosive falling out with Jackie ‘O’ Henderson for the first time, telling viewers of Australian Idol the past week had been “tough” after a dispute with a “very close friend”.
The moment came during Monday night’s episode of the Seven talent show, just days after the long-running radio partnership between the KIIS FM co-hosts collapsed in dramatic fashion and ARN confirmed Sandilands had been suspended for an “act of serious misconduct”.
Speaking to contestant Charlie Moon after his performance of With a Little Help from My Friends, Sandilands delivered an emotional critique that appeared to reference the high-profile feud dominating the Australian media industry.
“We all need to get by with a little help from our friends. This week has been tough for me. I had a falling out with a very close friend.”
@australianidol Our Kyle sure has a way with his words 🥲🤧 #AustralianIdol auditions continue Sunday 7.00 on @channel7 and @7plus ♬ original sound – Australian Idol
Radio partnership implodes
The comments mark the first public acknowledgement from Sandilands since the long-running radio partnership between the KIIS FM breakfast hosts imploded last week.
News broke that Henderson “cannot continue to work with Kyle”, bringing an abrupt halt to one of Australian radio’s most commercially successful duos.
Shortly after, ARN confirmed Sandilands had been suspended following what the network described as an “act of serious misconduct” that breached the terms of his contract.
The dispute reportedly stemmed from an on-air argument during a segment in which Henderson discussed astrology, sparking a heated exchange between the pair.
For the Australian radio sector, the fallout has landed like a small earthquake. The Kyle & Jackie O brand has long been a central pillar of ARN’s commercial strategy, underpinning KIIS FM’s breakfast dominance and commanding some of the highest advertising revenues in the market.
Jackie O breaks her silence
Henderson addressed the controversy late last week in a statement, pushing back on speculation surrounding her departure from the show.
“There has been a lot of speculation and misinformation about my departure from the show,” she said.
“I want to make one important point very clear: I did not quit or resign. I am deeply saddened by the events of the past week and the possibility of the show ending. This has come as a shock to me, as it has to everyone else.”
Henderson also criticised what she described as a misleading narrative about her role in the breakdown of the partnership.
She said the “media narrative” surrounding the split had been “truly heartbreaking”.
“At this stage, I am unable to say anything further, as I am addressing this through the appropriate legal channels.”
Netflix passes on NRL broadcast rights as ARLC seeks $4b deal
Streaming giant Netflix has confirmed it won’t be a player in the upcoming NRL broadcast rights, as the sport seeks a deal worth more than $4 billion, The Australian Financial Review reports.
A spokesman for Netflix confirmed to the AFR that the company would not bid for any of the National Rugby League rights. Its global sports executive, Brandon Riegg, had previously commented that Netflix – worth $US418 billion ($600 billion – is interested in “marquee sporting events rather than entire seasons.”
Netflix had been one of the streaming services that was expected to bid for the long-term deal.
Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys says will be finalised within three months.
In an interview reported in AFR, Riegg said it was unlikely to fit within Netflix’s strategy.
“We can certainly look at it, but it’s probably more of a volume play. We’re not at the point where it makes sense for us. It runs a bit counter to the event size strategy we’ve been following,” Riegg said.
“Anytime those things come up, we certainly look at it, and sometimes the leagues are willing to create a package that makes the most sense for us.”
Riegg added that Netflix prefers to focus on “buzzy and unmissable” events rather than an entire season of a given sport.
For example, since 2024, Netflix has aired high-profile sporting events, such as a boxing fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul.
“We need to curate sporting events that feel like they drive real urgency … because what you’re doing is you’re picking that over Bridgerton or Stranger Things on a given night,” Riegg said.
Top image: Netflix passes on NRL broadcasting rights. Image: Instagram
Former Sony Music publicist Bron Tasker launches boutique agency
Respected Australian publicist Bron Tasker is striking out on her own, launching a new boutique agency after more than two decades at Sony Music Australia.
Tasker, who spent over 20 years shaping the public profiles of some of the world’s most recognised artists during her tenure at the music giant, confirmed she has officially established her own independent communications and publicity business.
Her departure from Sony Music Australia last year marked the end of a long run inside one of the country’s most influential music companies, where she worked across high-profile artists and major campaigns.
Bronwyn Tasker PR was established last month, and the Sydney-based agency “specialises in strategic publicity campaigns for musicians, entertainers, cultural figures and brands across Australia and internationally.”
Tasker brings with her more than 25 years’ experience across TV, entertainment, and PR, including a mammoth 22-year spell at Sony Music.
She’s worked with such esteemed global artists as P!nk, Foo Fighters, Harry Styles, Bruce Springsteen, and AC/DC, as well as plenty of leading Australian talent, including Guy Sebastian, Tones and I, Tash Sultana, and Jessica Mauboy.
Her new agency “will champion both established and emerging talent, working closely with artists and their teams to create meaningful media opportunities that connect with audiences beyond core fan bases.”
At the time of writing, Bronwyn Tasker PR’s current clients are Amber Lawrence, Dami Im, Eskimo Joe, Kaylee Bell, Katie Noonan, Leigh-Anne, and Lenka.
“When I finished up at Sony Music in December 2025, looking back, it really felt like the right time to close that chapter. The response from artists, managers and media alike was overwhelming, and starting Bronwyn Tasker PR quickly became a natural next step,” she explains.
“I especially want to extend enormous gratitude to Roger Davies of RDWM, with whom I have worked for more than 22 years, for his belief and encouragement in me setting up this business. His faith in not only me, but what I can offer as a publicist to a range of artists, is second to none – he truly is the best in the business.
“2026 is shaping up to be an incredible year with the clients I’m already working with. I’ve had the privilege of working with many of them previously over the years, and to have them on board at the very beginning of this new chapter to help share their stories is incredibly humbling – and hugely exciting.”
'50 shades of CK': Dakota Johnson models new undies for Calvin Klein
Dakota Johnson is in a new Calvin Klein underwear campaign – and it’s some borderline R18+ stuff.
The American actor – best known for baring all in the 50 Shades of Grey movie trilogy – wears pieces from the new CK undies line, in a short clip where she’s doing random things like eating a pomegranate, leaning over a billiards table in briefs and stilettos, and pretending to read a script.
As one would expect, there’s a significant amount of limb stretching and sultry to-camera-eyes, which is why one witty comment on Instagram reads, “50 Shades of CK.”
View this post on Instagram
I’m not sure if I say this because I’m bordering 50 and have seen a lot in my time, but it’s not… “groundbreaking”, as Miranda Priestly would say. Another social media comment reads, “Nothing we haven’t seen before.”
Nevertheless, the online response to the 36-year-old modelling her CKs is overwhelmingly, ahem, excited, with one person even claiming, “I thought I was straight, but now I’m not sure.”
Someone, please run a cold shower for the entire internet.
Calvin Klein’s raunchy advertising
Calvin Klein has historically used sexy marketing – you may recall Mark Wahlberg‘s pants-down campaign in the 1990s – and it has sometimes been called out for it.
In 2024, The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority has backtracked on its decision to ban a Calvin Klein advertisement featuring the British singer FKA twigs, citing the “strength of public feeling.”
The ASA said that after “careful thought” it had decided that “the image was not sexually explicit, that the ad presented FKA twigs as confident and in control and, therefore, that she had not been objectified.”
The ASA had originally said the ad presented her as “a stereotypical sexual object”.
Top image: Dakota Johnson models for Calvin Klein. Image: Instagram/Mediaweek
26,000 scam ads slip through Meta, hijacking Aussie CEOs and media identities
Bitdefender says Australia has been targeted as part of a coordinated global investment scam network using thousands of fraudulent ads across Meta Platforms’s social platforms.
According to new research from Bitdefender Labs, the scam operation involved 310 coordinated campaigns and more than 26,000 malicious advertisements running between 9 February and 5 March, spanning at least 25 countries and appearing in more than 15 languages.
The ads were designed to mimic legitimate financial opportunities or breaking news reports, often using familiar media formats, public figures and brand identities to encourage clicks.
Australian identities used in scam creative
Among the Australian examples identified was a fake news-style execution featuring Matt Comyn, chief executive officer of Commonwealth Bank, alongside finance commentator Ross Greenwood and investigative reporter Adele Ferguson.
The fabricated story presented itself as a dramatic television segment before directing users toward what appeared to be a national investment platform.
In practice, the ads were designed to funnel users into deposit-based investment scams.
A familiar fraud funnel
Bitdefender said most campaigns followed a repeatable structure.
Users first encountered a sponsored Facebook post framed as a breaking financial story, a scandal, or an exclusive opportunity. Clicking the ad triggered a series of redirects before landing users on a fraudulent article or investment landing page designed to resemble legitimate media or financial content.
Victims were then prompted to submit personal details including name, phone number and email address.
Once details were captured, scammers typically moved communication offline, contacting victims by phone, text or email while posing as investment brokers.
Researchers said victims were then pressured to make an initial deposit, often shown fake trading dashboards displaying fabricated profits to encourage larger transfers.
In many cases, users later found they could no longer withdraw funds.
A coordinated international operation
Bitdefender said the volume and consistency of the campaigns suggest a highly organised scam infrastructure operating across multiple regions simultaneously.
Researchers identified shared technical fingerprints across campaigns, indicating the reuse of common infrastructure or scam toolkits across markets.
This allowed operators to quickly localise names, headlines and public figures depending on country while keeping the underlying fraud mechanics unchanged.
The company also identified several tactics designed to avoid moderation systems, including redirect chains, spoofed domains and the use of visually similar characters in website names.
The campaigns have appeared across Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Oceania and Africa, with public figures and local narratives adjusted market by market.
Bitdefender says the scam ecosystem remains active, with domains, narratives and ad accounts continuing to rotate to avoid detection.
Feature Image: AI generated
Influencer marketing grows up: five lessons from the inaugural AiMCO Summit
Shane Holmes, Managing Partner, Hypetap
The recent inaugural AiMCO Summit in Sydney was a successful first showing for the influencer marketing industry body.
The energy and modern format kept the attention of marketers, creators and agencies. That’s no easy feat.
There’s good reason for all the interest; the IPA recently reported that Influencer Marketing is the leading channel with the highest long-term multiplier, surpassing Linear TV for the first time.
The summit seemingly captured and proved that point as Australian athletes and popular personalities joined marketers and strategists on stage.
Five key themes emerged from the Summit that should be considered if you’re already active with influence marketing or interested in starting.
1. Trust: The Only KPI That Ultimately Matters
While the impacts of AI are felt all around us, human-to-human trust is the ultimate metric. Whether it’s established through genuine interactions or built over time with a long-term following, the trust creators have with their audience is paramount.
It demands that creators be true to their values and consciously connect their audience with brands that they align with. When creators and brands seamlessly connect, their audience will know it’s genuine, resulting in relevant, effective content.
2. The Authenticity Mandate in an AI-Driven World
Like trust, authentic content is high-value currency.
“AI Slop” and low-effort automated content easily erodes digital credibility and can threaten brand or creator trust quickly.
The consensus was that AI should be used as a support to enhance capabilities, including using it to superpower your analytical capabilities or to efficiently produce multi-market-ready assets, but it can never fully replace the real.
3. Diversity as a Growth Engine, Not a Box-Ticking Exercise
Two underrepresented demographics with buying power proved the need for greater diversity in Australian influencer marketing, including disability representation and women aged 45+.
Diverse representation of all Australians should be on marketers’ minds, as it reinforces an understanding of your audience. Beyond that, there are commercial opportunities; People with disabilities carry 20% of Australian buying power yet remain broadly ignored.
Similarly, women over 45 spend $2.8B monthly, yet 1 in 4 feel unrepresented by brands. Two groups that are just as active on social media as the younger demographics.
4. From Campaign Bursts to “Always-On” Ecosystems
The era of the one-off campaign is fading.
The summit highlighted the value in casting a “Creator Bench”, a set of talent engaged over time to allow for feedback loops and long-term effectiveness.
The goal is to shift from one-off campaigns to engaging creators longer-term to support an always-on approach in which creators are integrated into the fabric of the brand ecosystem, or brands are integrated into the fabric of a creator’s multi-channel ecology.
5. Platform Intelligence is Central to Success
The role of each platform is distinct and can be viewed differently depending on your strategic goals.
Long-format streaming channels like YouTube will attract regular subscribers, whereas TikTok can more effectively attract existing and new audiences.
As the format for each channel varies, so too does the method creators need to take to engage in deeper and meaningful ways. By aligning content with the specific way audiences use each platform, businesses can ensure they are building real connections.
The creator economy is now a disciplined industry outperforming traditional media in long-term impact, and a future where creator partnerships sit at the heart of every successful marketing mix is here.
ACA nabs exclusive with survivors of dentist knife attack
Two women who survived last week’s shocking knife attack inside a Potts Point apartment complex are speaking publicly for the first time in an exclusive interview with A Current Affair host Ally Langdon.
Christine Campeau and Chloe Paul, neighbours who were both allegedly attacked by disgraced dentist Steven Lin, will recount the terrifying ordeal in a sit-down interview airing on the Nine Network program.
The women were seriously injured during the alleged assault, which unfolded inside their St Neot Avenue apartment building in Potts Point before Lin was fatally shot by police.
In a preview of the interview, Campeau describes the moment she was allegedly attacked.
“He hit me like a lunatic,” she tells Langdon.
Langdon then asks: “When is the moment we realised you were safe?”
Campeau replies: “When I heard the gunshot”.
Chloe Paul and Christine Campeau. Source: ACA
Minutes of terror inside the building
Police allege Lin, 41, entered the apartment complex armed with a knife on Tuesday morning before attacking the two women in separate incidents inside the building.
According to investigators, one woman was allegedly assaulted in a shared laundry area, while the second was attacked inside her apartment.
Both women suffered serious injuries to their faces and heads and were taken to St Vincent’s Hospital in a stable condition.
They have since undergone surgery for their injuries, including serious facial trauma and a broken nose.
The alleged attacks triggered a rapid police response, with officers arriving at the building shortly afterwards and confronting Lin.
Police said a taser was deployed during the confrontation, but it failed to stop him.
Lin allegedly continued to threaten officers while armed with the knife before one officer discharged their firearm, striking him once.
Paramedics treated Lin at the scene, but he later died.
Steven Lin. Source: Facebook
Troubled legal history
Lin had previously been facing several domestic violence-related charges.
Those included assault occasioning bodily harm, breaching an apprehended violence order (AVO), stalking or intimidating with intent to cause fear and choking.
He was due to face court later this month over two alleged breaches of an AVO.
NSW Police have established a critical incident investigation to examine the circumstances surrounding the shooting and the actions of the officers involved.
Main image: Chloe Paul and Christine Campeau. Source: ACA
Medium Rare expands into live events with Flybuys
Medium Rare Content Agency has expanded into experiential and live content services, launching the new offering with The Remarkable Show for Flybuys.
The event brought together 150 of the loyalty program’s most engaged members with creators and brand partners, as Medium Rare looks to extend its content offering beyond strategy, production and influencer work.
Hosted by content creator and comedian Matt Hey, the live event featured Sally McMullen and Alex Hourigan from Two Broke Chicks, points expert Tom Goward, and members from Flybuys’ annual Top 50 list.
Medium Rare said the event was designed to generate content at every touchpoint, from live moments and planned segments through to member participation. The activation produced more than 200 pieces of content across owned and earned channels, delivering more than 250,000 organic impressions and 4,000 engagements to date.
The Remarkable Show, host Matt Hey with Flybuys members Darian, Sophie, Jitin & Tom
Nick Smith, Managing Director at Medium Rare, said the launch showed how brands with established communities could create their own content-led events.
“Brands with engaged communities can create their own unique events. Our team designed The Remarkable Show with content at its core, creating a platform that rewarded Flybuys’ most engaged members while generating significant content from live capture to evergreen assets.
“It delivered both an unforgettable experience and a scalable stream of content that fuels the Flybuys brand world.”
Nick Smith
Jarrod Flood, Head of Marketing at Flybuys, said the event reflected the strength of the partnership between the loyalty brand and its agency.
“Medium Rare is a true content partner who understands our brand, our program and our members. This was a first-of-its-kind experience for Flybuys, and the response from members has been overwhelming.
“The event rewarded our most engaged members while creating content that will continue inspiring our community.”
Guests received prizes and products from partners including Coles, Liquorland, HCF, Velocity Frequent Flyer, Shell Reddy Express, Harvey Norman, PopInk, Kappel and The Card Network.
The launch forms part of Medium Rare’s broader remit for Flybuys, which includes social strategy, always-on content production, campaign work and influencer management.
Credits
Medium Rare
Gemma Sutherland, Head of Content – Health, Home and Lifestyle
Jade Ormiston, Campaign Lead
Heather Jarvis, Senior Account Director
Tania Turner, Partnerships Director
Lauren King, Creative Producer
Renata Ginsburg, Designer
Kristin Freeland, Social Media Content Producer
Jessica Song, Senior Account Manager
Bianca Chua, Editorial and Production Coordinator
Flybuys
Jarrod Flood, Head of Marketing
Georgie Packer, Senior Marketing Manager
Athanasia Arkalis, Content Specialist
Ivy Ye, Content Specialist
Anna Lotfipour, Creative Director
Scott Barker, Creative Design Manager
Top image: Sally McMullen, Matt Hey & Alex Hourigan
Lights, camera, expansion: NSW hunts site for Sydney’s second global film studio
The NSW Government has begun the search for a site to build Sydney’s second global film studio, opening Expressions of Interest to industry partners as it moves to expand the state’s screen production capacity.
The proposed studio is intended to complement Disney Studios Australia at Moore Park, with the government committing up to $100 million toward the development.
The project forms part of the state’s three-year NSW Screen & Digital Games Strategy, which aims to strengthen local infrastructure and ensure New South Wales can compete for large-scale international productions.
Under the plan, the government will partner with industry to identify and develop a suitable location capable of hosting major film and television projects.
As the only major film studio in Greater Sydney, Disney Studios Australia has attracted some of the largest and most iconic international feature films ever produced, including Mission Impossible 2, Moulin Rouge!, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Great Gatsby, Peter Rabbit, The Fall Guy, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Apex, and many more.
The Narrow Road to the Deep North © Prime Video. Supplied by Screen NSW
The EOI will be open to proposals on both private and government-owned land. To support the process, three government-owned sites in Western Sydney (Bungarribee, Eastern Creek, and Prospect) have been identified for respondents to consider when preparing a proposal.
EOI submissions will be evaluated against the NSW Government’s objectives to strengthen capacity, attract international blockbusters, support local production, create local jobs, and ensure NSW remains the nation’s screen powerhouse.
The EOI process will be open to proposals from those who think they can deliver the critically needed screen infrastructure, including at least six sound stages. It will close in May, after which it will be evaluated and considered by the NSW Government.
Yesterday, Blacktown City Mayor Brad Bunting said Western Sydney is “well placed” to support the continued growth of Australia’s screen industry.
“Western Sydney is alive with creativity. Our young and diverse population represents a powerful pipeline of talent and new opportunities for Australia’s screen industry,” he said. “We have the space, with large-scale productions requiring space for sound stages, workshops and backlots, Western Sydney has the scale and infrastructure needed for projects of that size. It makes sense.”
Main image: Anyone But You © Sony Pictures. Supplied by Screen NSW