Government calls on production sector to comment on ‘documentary’ definition

The production sector has been invited to comment on a new draft legislation by the Federal Government that will affect the sector’s tax rebate, the producer offset.

The Department of the Treasury has released the exposure draft that would introduce a refined definition of the term ‘documentary’ to give clarity to production houses expecting to be eligible for tax rebate, set at 20% for documentaries.

The move to define the word ‘documentary’ came in early July, instigated by Minister of the Arts Simon Crean.

It was the result of a federal court hearing earlier this year following a dispute over the word’s definition between production house Essential Media and Entertainment in regard to its show Lush House and Screen Australia, administrator of the offset.