Fans Of Poorly-Written Local Drama Quaking As Australian Writers Urged To Consider ‘Solidarity’ Strike

There’s some rumblings in the local union scene as Australian Workers’ Union national secretary Paul Howes visited the AWG strike in Hollywood and offered “solidarity” to the striking writers.

He reckons a local ’sympathy strike’ is needed to show support for the writers and to make it clear that similar stoushes about new media rights are just as possible here – but Australian screenwriters aren’t so sure.

Mr Howes said the issues facing US screenwriters – who are pushing for royalties for new media, such as films and TV shows sold over the internet – would affect Australian writers, making it their fight as well.

“We haven’t seen in Australia the full potential of online downloads of television shows,” he said. “Most Australians aren’t downloading Home and Away or Neighbours on to their iPod and watching it.

“This will eventually come to Australia.”

Geoff Brown, executive director of the Screen Producers Association of Australia, disagreed with Mr Howes, saying the Australian industry differed from the American studio-based system.

“It’s not our fight,” he said. “It’s got nothing to do with us, nor can we influence the outcome.

“We’re here to try and develop an Australian independent production industry, so our goals are somewhat different.”

We’re inclined to agree with Brown, though mostly because we really, really want to know who Milco is, and we’re not bloody likely to give up the satisfaction of finding out for a little bit of solidarity from the colonies!

YOU CAN NEVER TAKE OUR FREEEEDOM!