Innovation  and  Creativity  

List  of  Recommendations  

2.93   The  Committee  specifically  notes  that  someone  highly  proficient  in  STEM  skills  is  not  inconsistent  with  being  skilled   in  arts  or  creative  areas.  One  well-­‐‑known  example  of  this   is  game  developers,  but  creativity  goes  hand  in  hand  with  STEM  skills   in  many  occupations.  

Recommendation  10  

2.94   The   Committee   recommends   that   the   National   Innovation   and   Science   Agenda  explicitly   recognise   the   importance   of   STEAM,   creative   digital   skills,   the   creative  industries  and  the  arts  more  generally.  

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5.33   The  Committee   supports   the   recommendation   from   the  Senate   Standing  Committee  on   Environment   and   Communications   References   Committee   report   Future   of  Australia'ʹs   video   game   development   industry   that   the   Australian   Government  introduce  a  funding  scheme  based  on  the  former  Australian  Interactive  Games  Fund.    

Recommendation  37  

5.34   The   Committee   recommends   that   the   Australian   Government   introduce   a   funding  scheme  based  on  the  former  Australian  Interactive  Games  Fund.  

2.  Schools  

These   skills   are   important   to   the   Australian   economy.   The   Interactive   Games   &  Entertainment  Association’s  submission  informed  the  Committee  that:  

Australia’s  interactive  games  industry  reached  a  total  value  of  AUD  $2.83  billion  in  2015,  a  15%  increase  from  its  previous  year.6  This  figure  incorporates  traditional  retail  sales  of  AUD  $1.243  billion   and  digital   sales  of  AUD  $1.589  billion,   increasing  by  2%  and  27%  year   -­‐‑   on-­‐‑year   respectively.   Mobile   games,   digital   downloads   and   subscriptions   also  continued  to  grow  significantly   in  2015,  with  sales   increasing   to  AUD  $870  million   (up  24%),  AUD  $603  million  (up  33%)  and  AUD  $116  million  (up  29%).1  

                                                                                                               1   Interactive  Games  &  Entertainment  Association,  Submission  91,  pp.  5  –  6.  

 

 

2.52   The   Academy   of   Interactive   Entertainment’s   submission   informed   the   Committee  that:  

In   Australia,   the   video   game   industry   is   centered   in   Victoria,   which   accounts   for  approximately  48  per  cent  of  the  national  gaming  industry.  Smaller  industry  clusters  are  located   in  NSW  (19%),  Queensland   (18%),  South  Australia   (8%)  and  Western  Australia  (7%).  Victoria’s  relative  success  in  video  game  development  may  be  due  to  the  Victorian  Government’s   support   for   the   industry   through,   for   example,   the  Film  Victoria  Games  Development   Fund.   The   Australian   video   game   industry   is   now   dominated   by  independent  development  studios.  In  spite  of  the  relative  size  of  the  local  industry,  

Australian   game   developers   can   and   do   punch   above   their   weight.   For   example   the  studio  Halfbrick   in  Brisbane  has  developed  one  game  called  Fruit  Ninja  which  by  2015  had  1  billion  downloads,  making  it  one  of  the  most  successful  games  of  all  time.2  

2.53   As  part  of  its  inspection  of  the  University  of  the  Sunshine  Coast  on  16  March  2017  the  Committee  were  briefed  on  the  university’s  Bachelor  of  Serious  Games.  It  should  not  be  assumed  that  the  term  ‘games’  refers  only  to  entertainment.  As  Mr  Jonathan  Roses,  of  Interactive  Games  and  Entertainment,  pointed  out  to  the  Committee  that  games  can  be  used  to  educate  and  in  the  health  sector:  

We  have  seen  games  being  used  for  an  educative  purpose.  There  are  many  instances.  For  example,  the  National  Museum  of  Australia  developed  an  interactive  robot  game  where  kids  can  learn  about  Australia'ʹs  history.3  

Neuroscience   Research   Australia   developed   an   exercising   game   to   help   people   with  multiple  sclerosis  to  improve  balance  and  mental  skills.  We  also  have  examples  with  the  University   of   Western   Australia   developing   a   game   to   improve   health   outcomes   for  children  with  autism.  So  there  are  examples  of  games  being  used  in  the  health  sector.4  

5.  Start-­‐‑ups  

In   their   submission   the   Interactive   Games   and   Entertainment   Association   pointed   to   the  ‘non-­‐‑competitive’   tax   structures   for   interactive   games   development   and   production’5   and,  noted  the  following  recommendation  from  the  Senate  Standing  Committee  on  Environment  

                                                                                                               2   Academy  of  Interactive  Entertainment,  Submission  100,  p.  4.  

3   Mr  Jonathan  Roses,  Legal  and  Policy  Lawyer,  Interactive  Games  and  Entertainment,  Committee  Hansard,  Sydney,  14  March  2017,  p.  15.  

4   Mr  Jonathan  Roses,  Legal  and  Policy  Lawyer,  Interactive  Games  and  Entertainment,  Committee  Hansard,  Sydney,  14  March  2017,  p.  21.  

5   Interactive  Games  and  Entertainment  Association,  Submission  91,  p.  12.  

 

 

and   Communications   References   Committee   report   Future   of   Australia'ʹs   video   game  development  industry:6  

A  successor   to   the  Australian  Interactive  Games  Fund  and  extension  of   the  producer  tax  offset  

5.13.   The   primary   recommendation   made   by   the   committee   is   that   the   Australian  Government   introduces   a   scheme   similar   to   the  previous  AIGF.   The  AIGF   is   the  most  effective  means  to  address  the  access  to  finance  issues  that  small  studios  face  and  to  help  those   studios   grow   into   mature,   stable   businesses.   The   economic   return   from   funds  provided   as   grants   and   loans   during   the   AIGF'ʹs   short   life   presents   a   compelling  argument  for  the  Australian  Government  to  return  funding  to  Screen  Australia  for  such  a  program.  

Recommendation  1  

5.14.  The  committee  recommends  that  the  Australian  Government  introduce  a  funding  scheme  based  on  the  former  Australian  Interactive  Games  Fund.7  

                                                                                                               6   Australian  Senate,  Senate  Standing  Committee  on  Environment  and  Communications  References  

Committee,  Future  of  Australia’s  video  game  development  industry,  (tabled  29  April  2016)  see:  <http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications/Video_game_industry>  accessed  30  March  2017.  

7   Australian  Senate,  Senate  Standing  Committee  on  Environment  and  Communications  References  Committee,  Future  of  Australia’s  video  game  development  industry,  (tabled  29  April  2016)  see:  <http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications/Video_game_industry>  accessed  30  March  2017.