Alliance E-Mag 18 July 2006
Wed, 19 July 2006, 10:11 amLabrug1 post in thread
Alliance E-Mag 18 July 2006
Wed, 19 July 2006, 10:11 amWelcome to your weekly Equity e-bulletin from the Alliance. This week:
- Messiest Possible Outcome - Concentrating Canadian Media
- Television Agreement May Roll Over - ABC Brisbane Petition For Relocation
- Super Agreement With SAG - Help At Tax Time - Attention Stunties
- Jindabyne Opens This Week - Victorian Opera Raises The Roof - Tax Offset Scheme
- Bone
Messiest Possible Outcome - The Howard Government's media reforms announced by Minister Coonan last week and supported by Cabinet undermine diversity and fails to maximise opportunities to drive Australian content through digital broadcasting. The decision to abandon the cross media and foreign ownership restrictions will certainly lead to a feeding frenzy as big media players get bigger by swallowing vulnerable small media companies. More at www.alliance.org.au
Concentrating Canadian Media - Meanwhile our colleagues in Canada are alarmed by reports that Bell Globalmedia is buying CHUM Ltd. The proposed acquisition leaving essentially two major media conglomerates and private broadcasters, Bell Globemedia and CanWest Global. The Canadian performers union, ACTRA, is concerned by the impact this media concentration will have on diversity, competition and choice.
Television Agreement May Roll Over - The Screen Producers Association Australia (SPAA) has indicated it is prepared to roll over the Actors Television Programs Agreement for three years with pay increases. The Alliance has indicated there are a few issues to tidy up in negotiations but broadly welcomes the producers' cooperation. Discussions will continue.
ABC Brisbane Petition For Relocation - ABC Brisbane members are circulating a community petition, calling on management to relocate the Toowong operations as a matter of urgency. Two weeks ago a female employee was diagnosed with breast cancer, bringing the total to 12 in 11 years. Sign the petition at http://www.alliance.org.au/abc_petition.html
Super Agreement With SAG - The Alliance and the Screen Actor's Guild (SAG) in America have formed an agreement whereby Australian performers working on SAG contracts may have their superannuation paid into Equity's JUST Super scheme. SAG has agreed to discuss this with individual producers and finalise the agreement in the next three months. If you are working under a SAG contract and would like to take advantage of this agreement, please contact the Alliance on 1300 65 65 12.
Help At Tax Time - To welcome in the new financial year the Australian Tax Office has published a guide on its website to help performers complete their tax returns. The guides can be downloaded in PDF form and are available at http://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/content.asp?doc=/content/35515.htm
Attention Stunties - As a result of recent meetings and the letters recently sent out to stunt performers, the National Stunt Committee has expressed a desire to develop a Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct would be intended to help guide stunt performers in relation to a number of issues including safety, wages and appropriate conduct on set. We are looking for feedback. If you have any comments or ideas please email dana.michels@alliance.org.au
Jindabyne Opens This Week - New Australian feature film Jindabyne' starring Laura Linney, Gabriel Byrne, Deborra-Lee Furness, John Howard and Leah Purcell opens in cinemas Thursday 20 July. Jindabyne screened at Cannes this year as part of Directors' Fortnight and will has been selected for the Toronto Film Festival in September. Support Australian film by boosting the film's box-office takings in its first weekend.
Victorian Opera Raises The Roof - Victoria's newest opera company performed highlights from the classics on Saturday night as it debuted in front of a full house. Victorian Opera is the first major company to be based in Melbourne since the Victorian State Opera company was absorbed by Opera Australia in 1996. More at http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200607/s1687679.htm
Tax Offset Scheme - The Alliance has made a submission to the government's review of the tax-offset scheme for large budget productions. The scheme has been a draw card for many offshore productions and the Alliance has argued for its continuation with a number of enhancements. These include a general increase to the rebate and to introduce an additional incentive for productions that film overseas but wish to undertake postproduction in Australia.
Bone - Darlinghurst Theatre Company is offering Alliance members $18 tickets to all Tuesday performances of John Donnelly's 'Bone'. Bone opens on 3 August and plays to 19 August at Darlinghurst Theatre Company, 19 Greenknowe Avenue, Potts Point. $22 tickets to all other performances including opening night. To book call 02 8356 9987 or visit www.darlinghursttheatre.com and mention the Alliance.
Welcome to your weekly Equity e-bulletin from the Alliance. This week:
- Messiest Possible Outcome - Concentrating Canadian Media
- Television Agreement May Roll Over - ABC Brisbane Petition For Relocation
- Super Agreement With SAG - Help At Tax Time - Attention Stunties
- Jindabyne Opens This Week - Victorian Opera Raises The Roof - Tax Offset Scheme
- Bone
Messiest Possible Outcome - The Howard Government's media reforms announced by Minister Coonan last week and supported by Cabinet undermine diversity and fails to maximise opportunities to drive Australian content through digital broadcasting. The decision to abandon the cross media and foreign ownership restrictions will certainly lead to a feeding frenzy as big media players get bigger by swallowing vulnerable small media companies. More at www.alliance.org.au
Concentrating Canadian Media - Meanwhile our colleagues in Canada are alarmed by reports that Bell Globalmedia is buying CHUM Ltd. The proposed acquisition leaving essentially two major media conglomerates and private broadcasters, Bell Globemedia and CanWest Global. The Canadian performers union, ACTRA, is concerned by the impact this media concentration will have on diversity, competition and choice.
Television Agreement May Roll Over - The Screen Producers Association Australia (SPAA) has indicated it is prepared to roll over the Actors Television Programs Agreement for three years with pay increases. The Alliance has indicated there are a few issues to tidy up in negotiations but broadly welcomes the producers' cooperation. Discussions will continue.
ABC Brisbane Petition For Relocation - ABC Brisbane members are circulating a community petition, calling on management to relocate the Toowong operations as a matter of urgency. Two weeks ago a female employee was diagnosed with breast cancer, bringing the total to 12 in 11 years. Sign the petition at http://www.alliance.org.au/abc_petition.html
Super Agreement With SAG - The Alliance and the Screen Actor's Guild (SAG) in America have formed an agreement whereby Australian performers working on SAG contracts may have their superannuation paid into Equity's JUST Super scheme. SAG has agreed to discuss this with individual producers and finalise the agreement in the next three months. If you are working under a SAG contract and would like to take advantage of this agreement, please contact the Alliance on 1300 65 65 12.
Help At Tax Time - To welcome in the new financial year the Australian Tax Office has published a guide on its website to help performers complete their tax returns. The guides can be downloaded in PDF form and are available at http://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/content.asp?doc=/content/35515.htm
Attention Stunties - As a result of recent meetings and the letters recently sent out to stunt performers, the National Stunt Committee has expressed a desire to develop a Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct would be intended to help guide stunt performers in relation to a number of issues including safety, wages and appropriate conduct on set. We are looking for feedback. If you have any comments or ideas please email dana.michels@alliance.org.au
Jindabyne Opens This Week - New Australian feature film Jindabyne' starring Laura Linney, Gabriel Byrne, Deborra-Lee Furness, John Howard and Leah Purcell opens in cinemas Thursday 20 July. Jindabyne screened at Cannes this year as part of Directors' Fortnight and will has been selected for the Toronto Film Festival in September. Support Australian film by boosting the film's box-office takings in its first weekend.
Victorian Opera Raises The Roof - Victoria's newest opera company performed highlights from the classics on Saturday night as it debuted in front of a full house. Victorian Opera is the first major company to be based in Melbourne since the Victorian State Opera company was absorbed by Opera Australia in 1996. More at http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200607/s1687679.htm
Tax Offset Scheme - The Alliance has made a submission to the government's review of the tax-offset scheme for large budget productions. The scheme has been a draw card for many offshore productions and the Alliance has argued for its continuation with a number of enhancements. These include a general increase to the rebate and to introduce an additional incentive for productions that film overseas but wish to undertake postproduction in Australia.
Bone - Darlinghurst Theatre Company is offering Alliance members $18 tickets to all Tuesday performances of John Donnelly's 'Bone'. Bone opens on 3 August and plays to 19 August at Darlinghurst Theatre Company, 19 Greenknowe Avenue, Potts Point. $22 tickets to all other performances including opening night. To book call 02 8356 9987 or visit www.darlinghursttheatre.com and mention the Alliance.