AUSTRALIAN THEATRICAL FEATURE PRODUCTION
Spend by LOCATION

Share of expenditure in Australia by feature films in each state, for films shot 1998/99–2020/21

For the past 23 years, NSW has accounted for around half (49 per cent) of the total production expenditure by foreign and local feature films in Australia.

In 2002/03, there was a significant shift to Queensland with large-scale US titles accounting for much of the $169 million in production expenditure that year, resulting in a 75 per cent share for the state.

2005/06 saw a more equitable distribution of expenditure across the states with Queensland and Victoria reporting shares of 24 and 34 per cent respectively, while the NSW share fell to 28 per cent.

Again, in 2009/10, the NSW share fell sharply as foreign production moved largely to both Queensland and Victoria which, between them, accounted for 75 per cent of all feature production expenditure that year.

The last decade in NSW, expenditure as a proportion (46 per cent) has been below the 23-year average.

More than most states, Queensland’s share of expenditure is subject to foreign-feature activity and ranges from just 2 per cent in 2008/09, a possible consequence of a weak Australian dollar through much of that year, to 75 per cent in 2002/03, most of which came from big-budget US features.

Victoria is less reliant on foreign activity and derives most of its expenditure from domestic feature production. Over the last 22 years, the state’s share has ranged from a low of 6 per cent in 1999/90 to a high of 33 per cent in 2017/18.

South Australia’s share of expenditure is also largely determined by domestic activity, however the state’s PDV industry, specifically foreign-focused activity, successfully competes with rival states.

Production expenditure in Western Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the ACT is driven primarily by domestic features.