Investment in Australian content from Prime Video, Disney+, Netflix, Paramount+ and Stan has surged 40% year-on-year, according to new figures from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
The regulator reports the highest spend since voluntary reporting began in 2020, with streamers pouring $1.1 billion into local production in the 2024–25 financial year.
That total includes $414 million on Australian content and a further $687.8 million on Australian-related programs.
Of the Australian content investment, 76% was spent on new commissions and co-commissions – up 40% from the previous year.
This year marks the sixth consecutive year that Streaming Video on Demand (SVOD) services have voluntarily reported their investment in Australia.
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In the absence of regulation, SVOD services’ cumulative investment has now totalled almost $4 billion, supporting local jobs, infrastructure, and global visibility for Australian creative talent.
Paul Muller, Chair of the Streaming for Australia Coalition, said: “Contrary to misleading claims that SVOD services have been reducing investment in the Australian screen industry, the ACMA data clearly shows that Australia’s SVOD services are already investing at a higher rate than Australia’s broadcasters. This further demonstrates that the legislation passed last week is trying to solve a problem that doesn’t exist.
“The increased investment clearly shows that SVOD services are committed to creating quality and authentic Australian content to win audiences’ attention at home and overseas,” continued Muller.
According to a Netflix release, SVOD services invest more in Australian scripted drama than all subscription and commercial broadcasters combined, despite accounting for only 23% of total TV viewing time.
“In fact, the increase in expenditure on Australian content is almost the same amount as the $72.8 million that all commercial broadcasters spent in total on Australian drama, children’s, documentary and other Australian programming last year,” the release reads.
The report is timely, arriving after the Communications Legislation Amendment (Australian Content Requirement for Subscription Video on Demand (Streaming) Services) Bill passed in the Senate last month, introducing mandatory Australian content obligations.
Under the new laws, streaming services with more than one million Australian subscribers will be required to invest at least 10% of their total program expenditure in Australia, or 7.5% of their revenue, in new local drama, children’s, documentary, arts and educational programs.