Veteran actress Noni Hazlehurst blasts TV networks for ‘taking advantage’ of the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to slash local content quotas
Noni Hazlehurst’s television career spans more than four decades.
And the 67-year-old actress has blasted Australian networks for ‘taking advantage’ of the COVID-19 pandemic to slash quotas on locally made content.
She told TV Tonight: ‘They’re just taking advantage of the fact they can say, “Now we’ve got the perfect excuse to cut all these quotas.” It’s very, very disturbing.’
‘It’s very, very disturbing’: Australian TV veteran Noni Hazelhurst blasts networks for ‘taking advantage’ of the COVID pandemic and using it as an excuse to cut quotas on locally made content
‘They’ve been trying to do that for years. The reality is they put so much money into sport, which certainly came back to bite them on the bum, and stretching the boundaries of what constitutes Australian content,’ she added.
Noni is known for her roles on dramas such as The Sullivans, City Homicide and A Place to Call Home.
She is also famous for presenting children’s program Playschool from 1978 to 2001.
In character: The actor, 67, who is known for her roles on dramas A Place to Call Home (pictured), said: ‘The reality is they put so much money into Sport, which certainly came back to bite them on the bum, and stretching the boundaries of what constitutes Australian content’
On screen: Noni is best known for presenting long-running children’s program Playschool from 1978 to 2001 (pictured)
Commercial free-to-air television licensees must broadcast an annual minimum of 55 per cent Australian programming between 6am and midnight.
Noni acknowledged the networks weren’t entirely to blame for the dearth of local content, saying they were currently experiencing tough financial times.
However, she blamed the government for its lack of support for the creative industries during the coronavirus pandemic.
Hard times: The TV icon acknowledged that the networks aren’t entirely to blame, saying that they are currently experiencing tough financial times as well. Instead, she pointed out that there was little support from the government for the creative industry
In June, the Federal Government announced a $250million recovery package for the entertainment, arts and screen sectors.
That was followed by a $400million incentive in July to attract productions to Australia and create jobs for production staff, special effects experts, lighting technicians, local actors, extras and set designers.
But Noni argued this was insufficient, saying: ‘An $11billion industry with 660,000 workers that’s not worth supporting, really leaves a bad taste in your mouth.’
Noni said she was doubtful the next great Australian production would receive any funding by the major networks, even after the economic recovery.
Local content: Noni said she was hopeful that talented creatives have been hard at work in lockdown creating good local content for Australian audiences. But she noted that it was another story if such projects would even be funded and made by the networks