Actors rally against foreign import proposal
More than 250 actors turned out in force in Melbourne yesterday to show a united front against a proposal which could threaten job livelihood.
- Published by David Knox
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More than 250 actors turned out in force in Melbourne yesterday to show a united front against a proposal which could threaten job livelihood.
A draft of the Foreign Performers Certification Scheme Guidelines could extend work opportunities for foreign actors in Australian film and television. The Office of the Arts has drafted the proposal without industry consultation and only given stakeholders until July 27 to respond.
The new rules could see an increase in the number of roles in Australian television and film given to international performers.
Justine Clarke told the gathering, “The rules that we have now have assisted, supported and nurtured Australian performers and launched the international careers of all our wonderful big stars, whilst keeping us local actors in work and in hearty contribution to the rich cultural landscape of our country.”
In attendance were actors including Simon Burke, Nadine Garner, Damien Richardson, Steve Bastoni, Gerard Kennedy, Terry Norris, John Flaus, Julia Blake, Anne Phelan and Terry Donovan.
Simon Whipp from Actors Equity said, “These changes could have a huge impact of performers’ livelihood and the nature of our film and TV industry.
“It is clear from the hundreds of actors who came along today and the thousands who have signed a petition to Simon Crean that these proposed changes are being taken extremely seriously.
“Australian actors will continue to take action and make their voices heard until they have a fair set of guidelines that provide them with some employment opportunities and protect Australia’s cultural heritage.”
More than 120 Australian performers, including David Wenham, Toni Collette, Richard Roxburgh, Rachael Taylor and Teresa Palmer, have signed the open letter to the Minister for the Arts, Simon Crean, calling on the Government to re-examine the proposal.
This meeting of performers did not rule out industrial action unless an acceptable outcome is resolved.
A website for a public campaign Save Spaces for Aussie Faces has been established with a video narrated by Jack Thompson.
17 Responses
I think Australia has suffered by restricting the roles that overseas actors can have in Australia. This protectionist policy has resulted in the same faces being seen all the time – so much so that I rarely go to the theatre anymore and I consciously choose not to watch an Aussie film. I am bored by the same old actors being wheeled out. (Saying that, I watch many American made films that interestingly have Aussies in them…would Cate Blanchette etc have been embraced by the US. if they chose to operate the same way?) I also cant help but notice that many of my friends who are actors go racing over to the castings in LA every year….what is good for the goose as they say!
If we cant compete in open arena then maybe we should upskill. This xenophobic attitude has resulted in mediocre radio (there are exceptions!), appalling TV and theatre that is not in touch with what the public want.
I somehow feel I’ve been transported back to the Ballarat Goldfields in the 1860s listening to a diatribe against Chinese workers whom it seems are taking the jobs of honest white people with their devious oriental ways. I can appreciate that everyone would like the easy life which means not having to bother with competition from those who can do your job better and cheaper but xenophobia is no more justifiable when it’s done by actors than miners or manufacturers.
The test shouldn’t be whether actors themselves would like to block competition (this goes without saying) but whether the rest of us are better off. I can’t see any reason why we would be. Presumably at some stage short of replacing the entire cast of Neighbours with low wage Bangladeshis the disadvantages of employing foreigners are going to outweigh the advantages so why not leave it up to the market to sort out. As an aside it’s a shame that Pauline Hanson is not still in politics. As with the parallel CD import issue it was one the great pleasures to see Pauline line up with the supposedly cosmopolitan and progressive left on issues such as this.
Racist actors?
hmmmm sounds like there are alot of jealous bitter people who call them selves actors out there we aussies can do a stint on neighbours or home and away go to the states and just expect to land a role perhaps if uk or us actors were allowed to work here it would lift the game a little bit and the real actor’s of this country ie: rowena paula terrence gerard joan judith et al would get a look in and not just pro activ using pimply faced teens who r usually never heard of again once there stints on these shows come to an end!
Please note that comments that run too long run the risk of being edited, and if your email contact is not a valid working email (as required in Comments Policy) then I have no way to ask you to edit this down. Frankly I prefer not to be put in this position at all… thanks.
I think one or two name actors or actresses would certainly help some productions get up off the ground and may add to more international sales of the productions overseas — and not just actors but directors as well — the likes of Ted Kotcheff with “Wake In Fright” and Nicholas Roeg with “Walkabout” inadvertedly began the Australian film renaissance in the early 70s.
We do have world class actors in the Australian film and television industries and anything that will jump start any kind of productions that the moviegoing public of today will pay to see would be welcome — if it involves some overseas input, so be it.
It’s heartbreaking to realize that we have the likes of Gerard Kennedy and Terry Donovan and their talent being wasted in walk-ons here and there locally. Most people of a certain age remember them only for “Division 4” — I came later and remember them for movies like “Raw Deal”, “Newsfront”, “Money Movers”, “The Last of the Knucklemen” and can never forget them. Also, the great John Flaus — Australia’s Walter Huston (although these days, more like John Huston from his “Chinatown” period) — he should have been as big a star in Australia as Bert Bailey was in the 30s and early 40s: sadly everyone only knows him for the scores of voiceovers he has done – could a choice appearance in a production with an international star or director given him or anyone else for that matter, a great role or a box office success that would bring them at least some great credit that they always thoroughly deserved?
Just last night I sat through “The Assassination of Richard Nixon” starring Sean Penn, Naomi Watts and includes Jack Thompson in one of his greatest performances as a Southern office furniture store manager — the young director of that movie remembered Jack from “Breaker Morant” (starring Edward Woodward) — somehow, I don’t think once Jack’s name was brought up in casting, the producers may have said ‘hmmm, I wonder if Ned Beatty is available?’
We have some of the greats here in Australia, discovered and undiscovered, right now — if any of these international productions will help our local industry regain it’s prominance by increasing the number of productions as well as bring success at the box office, it certainly should be tried.
@deedeedragons, Matt King in ”Spirited”, Brian Cox will be in the upcoming series ”The Straits” and Sophie Okenodo will be the upcoming miniseries ”The Slap”, Miriam Margolyes will be in Phyrne Fisher series, there all from the UK
I can’t think of Any overseas actors on Aussie TV (I’m not counting New Zealand).
Very negative comments against Aussie actors here. America has very strict rules on who can work there so why shouldn’t we have the same protections for our industry.
No sympathy with the local xenophobic actors. Get better or get another job. Bring in some quality imports
International actors are already welcome and working in Australia under a current system, so the actors are not seeking to stop or reduce the current agreed levels. But the proposal would boost the balance.
A few of the actors mentioned in this article have had the opportunity to work overseas. Would they like to see the same thing happen in for example the US which would then exclude them from working there. I think not.
“Actors”. We don’t seem to have any “actresses” these days. Further new-speak mangling of the English language.
How many of those who attended or signed have appeared in US-made productions?
I say let the overseas actors audition for the roles…..may the best person for the job get it….anyway there’s plenty of other jobs out there for unemployed actors…..window cleaners, waiting on tables, kitchen hands, road workers etc…..
It’s all very well and I’m in full support of the actors but in a way it’s pointless when there’s so little Australian television being made these days and that what is made isn’t really up to scratch.
If you look at the 80’s for example each network had 2-3 dramas being made (and good ones too) not to mention plenty of sitcoms, that ran for the full year, many a time with two episodes a week, now all we get is seasons with a few episodes here and there and not of the quality of what they were with most not really setting the ratings on fire. (yes I’m looking at you Offspring, Rush, Neighbours, Sea Patrol, Rescue etc.) Actually if the truth be known the only real big successes this whole century have been Underbelly and Packed To The Rafters. I’m surprised the word “sitcom” is still in the Australian vocabulary as we haven’t made a single one in years.
With cheap reality and factual shows flooding the airwaves, I think foreign actors taking over the industry is the last thing they have to worry about.
Aussie actors don’t mind taking jobs from american actors. We need a bit more diversity here, instead we have the same actors in every show.
So it’s okay for Aussie actors to rush over to Hollywood pell mell, but we can’t let actors in here. If local actors want to be so enthusiastic about working overseas, they should be a little consistent and accept two way traffic.