Film industry council raises concerns over cancellations of two major Aussie productions

Screen Producers Australia (SPA) CEO Matthew Deaner has raised concerns over recent reports of cancellations for several Australian productions, including longstanding soap opera Neighbours after it was revived by Amazon MGM Studios, and global Netflix hit Territory which was not renewed for a second season.

Running from 1985 to 2022, Neighbours was a multi-generational icon for the Australian screen industry and fomented the careers of stars including Kylie Minogue, Margot Robbie and countless more.

In March 2022 it was revealed that producer Fremantle could not secure a new UK broadcaster, but later that year it struck a deal to revive the show with Amazon, recommencing in 2023. However, it was recently announced that Neighbours would be "resting from December 2025" with production to continue through July.

Territory may not have captured the Zeitgeist like Neighbours but it is one of a string of recent Australian productions that have achieved global acclaim, peaking at #2 in the Netflix charts for the most-watched TV shows in English. Territory also has a very respectable 86 per cent rating on global review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.

Deaner says the cancellations highlight the urgent need for critical adjustments to a range of industry settings that are crucial to supporting a modern screen content industry.

"The news this week that at least two incredible Australian productions will not be renewed is a stark warning of what’s at stake if the government does not modernise what is now an outdated Australian screen industry framework," he says.

"We cannot sit back and hope that cracks in the industry’s foundations will fix themselves. Our industry needs key issues to be addressed swiftly. Businesses, jobs, and our Australian identity are all at risk."

Deaner points to SPA's recently released 2025 policy platform that identified three key areas that need the government’s immediate attention:

• The assurance that Australian audiences see and hear their own stories through fair streaming investment, the protection of Australian IP, and the support of cultural independence;
• The strengthening of our national screen bodies and public broadcasters, as strong public broadcasters underpin our industry and fuel creativity; and
• Building a competitive and fair screen framework, that boosts local production, rewards Australian ownership, and fixes industry gaps.

"The investment we have to make in restructuring our industry now is urgent and must be a priority to address the long-term erosion that has been occurring for local screen businesses and the key jobs that create the stories that share Australian culture both to our nation and to the world," Deaner says.