(press release)
SYDNEY - Friday 2 November, 2007 - The Australian Government Minister for the Arts and Sport Senator the Hon George Brandis today met with a delegation from the Game Developers' Association of Australia (GDAA) headed by CEO Greg Bondar.
CEO of the Game Developers' Association of Australia (GDAA) Greg Bondar said the Minister requested a meeting with the GDAA. The delegation included GDAA CEO Greg Bondar, game developers Mike Fegan CEO of IR Gurus (Melbourne) and Martin Cooper CEO of Team Bondi (Sydney).
This meeting comes on the heel of a meeting GDAA had just a few weeks ago with Senator Conroy, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and Shadow Minister for Communications and Information Technology who undertook to establish a high level committee to review the GDAA's call for a 40% tax rebate for the games industry.
"We received a very position reception at the Sydney ministerial offices of Senator Brandis" said GDAA CEO Greg Bondar.
"Senator Brandis was most sympathetic to our concerns and also undertook to ensure that a review of GDAA's call for a 40% tax rebate for the games industry in Australia would be undertaken if the Coalition was returned to government."
"As a result of the heightened awareness by both sides of the political fence of the important role that game developers play in the Australian economy I will be recommending to the members of the GDAA and industry delegates at the Game Connect: Asia Pacific 2007 conference in a few weeks that a National Games Summit be held in partnership with the ‘new' Government, whichever party it may be, with a view to placing our concerns squarely before the newly elected government. I will also push for the establishment of a national GDAA Games Council to continue to lobby governments," added Bondar.
"I think our industry has come to the point where it now needs a unified approach to lobbying governments at both the national and international level about the economic, social and cultural benefits of the interactive entertainment (game development) industry. Unless we act now to enforce our legitimate right to be on an equal footing with the film industry game developers will continue to be sidelined by government," concluded Bondar.
About the Game Developers Association of Australia:
The Game Developers' Association of Australia (GDAA) was established in December 1999. Today, the association comprises corporate members from game development companies and educational institutions, associate corporate members (in service sectors that support the industry), individuals and students.
The main purpose of the GDAA is to increase the profile of the Australian electronic games industry both domestically and internationally in order to:
• Promote the growth of the game industry in Australia
• Represent the interests of GDAA members
• Attract capital and publishers from offshore and increase local investment
• Retain and attract the talent that exists in the local industry
• Promote a sense of community within the industry
Stats and facts about the games industry:
• The Australian games industry is worth an estimated $110 million per year
• Australians spend over A$2 million per day on interactive computer games
• Total sales in 2006 for the industry was $1 billion
• Annual compound growth of the industry is 12.3%
• 12.5m games were sold in 2006
• 6.1m video game consoles have been sold since 2000
• 3.6m Australian households have a video game console
• 4.8million Australian households have an internet enabled PC which is capable of playing games
• The average age of gamers is 28 years
• 60%of gamers are male and 40% female
• 35% of gamers are parents and 8% are seniors
• Families are an integral part of playing games
• 8,500 Australians are directly employed in the video game industry in 2007
• By 2010, the GDAA estimate that 18,000 people will be directly employed in the video game industry in Australia.
1. Anonymous Sun, 4 Nov
"...a review of GDAA's call for a 40% tax rebate for the games industry in Australia would be undertaken if the Coalition was returned to government."
Yeah right. Grasping at straws much?
What a load of sh** this is im still voting labour. In fact the only reason they are looking into it now is because labour is looking into it. Seriously a mountain of gold bars could be right in front of the lib's & they wouldn't realise it. Until someone points it out like a million times.
"...a review of GDAA's call for a 40% tax rebate for the games industry in Australia would be undertaken if the Coalition was returned to government."
.... and aboriginals 'might' be put in the pre amble ...
....and we might do something about global warming ...
....and I might let my good mate whats his face play as prime minister for a bit later on.... if he's a good wittle treasurer
Jeez Johnny, go out on a limb why don't you with your grand vague pointless policies.
See you buddy, don't let the door hit you on the way out.
Yeah. I wonder how many people realise they're not actually voting for John Howard. Time for the right wing geriatric PM to move into a home.
I didn't know Martin Cooper was CEO of Team Bondi, I thought it was Brendan Macnamara.