The MEAA’s The Great Australian Binge initiative, which invites people to vote online for the Australian film or show they’ve loved watching in lockdown, reveals a large fondness for nostalgic TV.
The most popular show thus far – voting closes at midnight this Sunday – is McLeod’s Daughters, the Nine Network drama co-created by Posie Graeme-Evans and Caroline Stanton, which is airing on Stan.
The show starring Bridie Carter, Sonia Todd, Jessica Napier, Rachael Carpani, Simmone Mackinnon and Aaron Jeffery ran on Nine for eight seasons from 2001 to 2009.
Fremantle’s Wentworth is running second, followed by Bunya Productions’ Mystery Road series, Riley Turner Productions’ Kath & Kim (which is streaming on Netflix) and Fremantle’s Neighbours.
Nearly 5,500 people have voted so far. Each is automatically referred to a petition calling on Arts Minister Paul Fletcher to do more to support the people who make the entertainment that Australia loves. The conversion rate to signing the petition is close to 100 per cent, an MEAA rep tells IF.
The initiative is backed by the entire screen sector including Screen Producers Australia, the Australian Writers’ Guild and the Australian Directors’ Guild and complements the Make it Australian campaign which urges the Federal Government to keep the current local content quotas and introduce local content quotas for streaming services.
The petition states:
We need your help to make sure that the creative workers and iconic institutions that inspire, provoke, and bring together Australians can survive this crisis. We want to get back to work, but we need your support:
– JobKeeper needs to be expanded to cover all of the hardworking, entrepreneurial freelancers and casuals who make their living in our creative industries.
– Financial assistance is needed to recover from the devastating losses caused by COVID-19 shutdowns.
– Australia needs regulatory and tax incentives that will drive our cultural life and guarantee future job and investment.
– Our creatives need help to get back to work safely and securely in the ‘new normal.’
Go to www.greataustralianbinge.com to vote and sign the petition.