SBS Submission – Inquiry Into the Australian Film and Television Industry March 2017

SBS submission – Inquiry into the Australian film and television industry March 2017

Key Points  The Australian film and television industry is experiencing a period of significant change.  International screen content is becoming more ubiquitous and easily accessible to Australian audiences.  In this context a strong and productive Australian screen industry is essential to creating and sharing content that reflects and celebrates the unique Australian culture, identity and people.  SBS makes a vital contribution to the Australian content ecosystem by reflecting Australia’s multicultural society.  Industry actors – broadcasters, production companies and funders – are seeking certainty in the production and distribution of Australian content.  Growth and sustainability of the screen industry relies on government measures to support and protect the production and distribution of Australian content.  Increasing the Producer Offset tax rebate for television production from 20% to 40% is an essential step to be taken to match the rebate available for feature films, deliver the funding certainty that industry seeks, as well as generating over $100 million in economic activity.

Recommendations

 Increase the Producer offset for television drama and documentaries to 40% (from the current 20%).  Greater support for mid-level productions through the reduction of local expenditure thresholds.  Renew the focus on negotiating co-production treaties.  Consider a fully-funded content quota for SBS to support the further development of multicultural, multilingual and Indigenous children’s content.

Introduction SBS welcomes the opportunity to submit to the Inquiry into the Australian film and television industry (the Inquiry), looking at factors contributing to the growth and sustainability of the industry. As a national broadcasting service, SBS provides multicultural and multilingual television, radio and digital media services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians. SBS’s purpose is to inspire all Australians to explore, appreciate and celebrate our diverse world and in doing so, contribute to a cohesive society. SBS’s functions are guided by its Charter in Section 6 of the Special Broadcasting Service Act 1991 (SBS Act). As a national free-to-air broadcaster, SBS reaches almost 100 per cent of the population through its free-to-air television services (SBS, SBS HD, SBS VICELAND, Food Network and National Indigenous Television (NITV)), subscription TV channel World Movies and eight digital (DAB+) radio channels (including SBS Arabic24, SBS PopAsia, SBS Chill, SBS PopDesi and simulcast AM/FM stations). Importantly, as set out below, this reach is being significantly extended through SBS’s digital services, including SBS On Demand. Content creation (covering in-house and commissioned content), acquisition and curation are at the heart of the SBS’s purpose. Through content across all our platforms, SBS inspires a richer, more holistic understanding of our world and presents surprising perspectives in entertaining and innovative ways. In a world where audience choice continues to expand, SBS continues to make a vital difference to the Australian cultural and media landscape. The network’s essential position in the industry allows it to present compelling, distinctive and thought-provoking content that no other Australian media organisation provides. Some of that content is targeted to the needs of particular groups or communities, whether by language or subject matter. Other content is of broader general appeal, delivering our Charter content to as many Australians as possible. The Australian community supports SBS’s services via their taxes, with approximately 75 per cent of SBS funding coming from Government. The Australian film and television industry This inquiry is timely given that the Australian screen industry is currently in the spotlight like never before. Screen Australia’s 2016 report, Screen Currency, stated that ‘[i]n 2014/15 the Australian screen production industry contributed over $3 billion in value add to the economy and over 25,000 full- time equivalent jobs.’1 The Screen Currency report also looks at audience value of the free screen content, and notes that ‘[a]round 76 per cent of Australian survey respondents believe the 2 government should provide support to the sector’ . The incomparable cultural value that the Australian public places on the Australian screen industry presents industry players with both opportunities and challenges. This is especially the case as the local industry is facing more competition than ever before, with international content being highly accessible, at low cost, and produced from a much larger subscriber/viewer base. Indeed, it was reported that in 2017 Netflix will spend $6 billion on content, and Amazon was expected to spend $3.2 billion on content in 2016. Both of these players, among others, now compete directly against Australian broadcasters for local audiences.3

1 Screen Australia. Screen Currency: Valuing our screen industry (2016) – page 5. Available at https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/getmedia/1b1312e5-89ad-4f02-abad-daeee601b739/ScreenCurrency-SA-Report.pdf 2 Screen Australia. Screen Currency: Valuing our screen industry (2016) – page 8. Available at https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/getmedia/1b1312e5-89ad-4f02-abad-daeee601b739/ScreenCurrency-SA-Report.pdf 3 CNBC. Netflix plans to spend $6 billion on new shows, blowing away all but one of its rivals (17 October 2016). Available at http://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/17/netflixs-6-billion-content-budget-in-2017-makes-it-one-of-the-top-spenders.html Page 2 of 13

Screen Australia’s Screen Blog looks at recent changes impacting the Australian screen industry, noting that over the last ten years Australia has moved from having ‘…five free-to-air channels, 30 subscription channels…[to now having] more than 130 subscription channels and a growing number of subscription video-on demand (SVOD) services’.4 The ACMA’s Australian Content Conversation 2017, scheduled for May, will be held in conjunction with the Department of Communications and the Arts, and Screen Australia. The conference will ‘explore themes including the importance of Australian content, the diversity of local voices and the regulatory challenges and opportunities in a world where citizens expect access to the content they want, when and where they want it.’5 SBS looks forward to engagement with the discussions and outcomes of this conference, and its contribution to exploring the future growth and sustainability of the Australian screen industry. Documentaries and drama Australian documentaries are a strong point for the local industry, and SBS in particular, with Austrade reporting that Australia produces, on average, around 360 hours of documentary programs per year – 72 per cent made by independent production companies and the rest in- house by broadcasters.6 The production of Australian television drama has also been the focus of industry studies. The Screen Australia Drama Report 2015/16 report captures Australian and foreign films and TV dramas shot or post-produced in Australia. It reports that that year was ‘a record year for Australian TV drama titles produced; it was also a record year for total budgets ($416 million) and for total expenditure which was up 25% to $376 million’7. The report also noted that broadcasters remain the leading financial backers for Australian TV drama, with the Screen Australia’s Screen Blog blog noting that scripted TV drama is generally the most expensive form of television content to make8. SBS’s position in the Australian production industry Contemporary Australia is more culturally and linguistically diverse than ever. In addition to strong base funding, strong industry policy settings are essential to SBS’s ability to reflect this diversity through its television,, radio and digital services. In 2015-16 SBS aired 315 hours of commissioned content across all television channels of which 100 hours was first-run (Appendix A), with follow-up on SBS On Demand. Highlights from SBS’s 2015–16 Australian programming slate are available in Appendix B, and key 2016-17 Australian commissions set out in Appendix C. SBS’s commitment to the Australian screen industry across drama, documentary, entertainment and other genres is demonstrated by the breadth and depth of its Australian commissions, telling stories by and about Australians. The development of Australia’s Indigenous production sector remains a priority for SBS, with significant investment into Indigenous-produced content—particularly by NITV. For example, NITV has now broadcast four series of the ground-breaking, Our Stories, which engages regional

4 The Screen Blog. A lot can change in 10 years. And financing TV drama sure has (nd.). Available at http://thescreenblog.com/screenintel/a-lot-can-change-in-10-years-financing-adult-tv-drama/ 5 Australian Communications and Media Authority. Australian content conversation 2017 (2017). Available at http://www.acma.gov.au/theACMA/About/Events/Australian-content-conversation/australian-content-conversation- 2017 6 Austrade. Screen Production (2016) – page 12. Available at http://www.austrade.gov.au/ArticleDocuments/1358/screen- production-icr.pdf.aspx?Embed=Y 7 Screen Australia. Media Release: 15/16 Drama Report: Boom Year for Australian TV (2016). Available at https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/newsroom/news/2016/mr-161103-drama-report-2016 8 The Screen Blog. Australian TV drama: Money matters (nd.). Available at http://thescreenblog.com/screenintel/australian-tv-drama-money-matters/ Page 3 of 13

and remote producers from across Australia to create 15-minute documentaries about culture, history, elders and youth; producing up to 120 documentaries for broadcast throughout the year. SBS also manages a number of employment and training programs which aim to build the strength of the Australian production sector by building the diversity of staff within it. For example, SBS programs to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians include legal, journalism and broadcasting operations training. To address diversity in the sector more broadly, in November 2016, SBS also announced the launch of the SBS Diversity Talent Escalator, a new national initiative focused on increasing screen industry representation of all Australia’s diverse communities.9 Tax incentives for the production sector The production industry, and consequently commissioning broadcasters, rely on offsets to give certainty of funding to productions. The Australian Screen Production Incentive is administered by Screen Australia and the Department of Communications and the Arts. It consists of three tax incentives: the Location Offset, the Producer Offset and the Post-production, digital and visual effects offset (PDV). An overview of each is included below, with SBS’s key submissions relating to reform focusing on the Producer Offset. PDV The PDV Offset is a 30 per cent rebate that supports work on post-production, digital and visual effects production in Australia, regardless of where a project is shot. It aims to help the Australian visual effects, post-production and animation sector develop its reputation as one of the best in the world. Producers can apply for the PDV Offset once they are no longer incurring Qualifying Australian Production Expenditure (QAPE) related to PDV activities. Location Offset The Location Offset is a 16.5 per cent rebate designed to encourage large-budget film and television projects to film in Australia. It aims to provide increased opportunities for Australian casts, crew and other screen production service providers to participate in these productions. Production companies can apply for the Location Offset once they are no longer incurring QAPE. Producer Offset The Producer Offset provides a rebate on QAPE for single episode dramas and documentaries (including features released only on DVD or online), television drama or documentary series/seasons and short form animation; as well as feature films. The Producer Offset can only be claimed by a production company that is either an Australian resident or a foreign resident that has a permanent establishment in Australia and has an Australian business number.10 To be eligible, the production must have ‘significant Australian content’ or be a film made in accordance with the requirements of a co-production agreement (in which case it is considered to meet the significant Australian content test).11

9 The SBS Diversity Talent addresses the current lack of career development opportunities for emerging screen practitioners and freelancers from different backgrounds, providing clear pathways for progression at all levels. This is a co-funded initiative, in which SBS and the State and Territory screen agencies collaborate with program producers to secure flexible, on-the-job, paid learning and immersion opportunities that span across SBS’s commissioned content slate. Fifteen places have been established, and the first two participants will be placed on SBS drama Sunshine and documentary The Mosque during 2017. 10 Screen Australia. Guidelines | Eligibility: Eligible Entity – available at https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/funding-and- support/producer-offset/guidelines/eligibility/eligible-entity 11 KPMG. Film Financing and Television Programming: A Taxation Guide (2015) – page 9. Available at https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/pdf/2015/10/382456_Australia_v6.pdf Page 4 of 13

Australia on Screen reported the certificates issued under the Producer Offset and the value of the investment in 2014-15. It demonstrated a final Offset value for the year of $123.13 million, of which $65.87 million was directed towards the television industry12. SBS notes that in December 2016, Screen Australia introduced some reforms to the Producer Offset (to be implemented from 1 April 2017). Screen Australia has also announced that during 2017 it will be publishing an update to its Getting Down to Business report (2012) which investigated producers’ experiences with the Offset, the benefits it has delivered, and the ways in which it had impacted on business practices.13 While direct screen agency funding relies on productions meeting specific selection criteria, the Offset provides a producer with flexibility in creating unique and distinctive programming. The Getting Down to Business report noted that, ‘chief among the benefits is the fact that the Offset offers producers relative certainty of payment. The Offset is automatic and uncapped, so the competitive evaluation processes in place for most direct Government support do not apply.’14 Producer offset reform opportunity SBS is supportive of initiatives to increase the level of Australian content production, and the growth of the Australian production sector through the provision of certainty of funding for productions, with editorial/creative decisions resting with producers and commissioning broadcasters. SBS has previously submitted to government on the value of raising the Producer Offset from 20 per cent to 40 per cent for all television productions currently covered by the initiative, including premium documentary. This would be equivalent to the Producer Offset currently available to feature film productions. SBS understands there is broad industry support for this position given that the cultural objectives of presenting Australian stories can be achieved on television as they can in feature films. In 2015, Screen Producers Australia (SPA) commissioned a joint report with the Australian Subscription Television & Radio Association (ASTRA) provided by PwC. As a result of this analysis, SPA reported that ‘doubling the Producer Offset from 20% to 40% would cost the Commonwealth a maximum of $15.5 million in foregone tax revenue, but would generate an additional $119.4 million in economic activity, making the overall economy better off by more than $103 million.’15 A 40% Producer Offset for television would:  increase Australian screen content;  lead to a stronger Australian television production sector, and new television production jobs;  free Screen Australia to focus on areas of market failure including industry diversity, development of new talent, and innovative forms of content and Indigenous content, through its direct funding programs; and  provide opportunities for commissioning broadcasters and producers to take more risks with ‘new and different’ programs, produced specifically for the Australian audience.

12 Australia on Screen. The Producer Offset. Available at - http://australiaonscreen.com/business/the-producer-offset/ 13 Screen Australia. Industry News – Big Year Ahead for the Producer Offset (2016). Available at https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/newsroom/news/2016/in-161213-big-year-ahead-producer-offset 14 Screen Australia. Getting down to business: The Producer Offset five years on (2012) – page 9. Available at - https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/getmedia/14380132-5665-4504-83c9-799b5b0cba4e/Getting-down-to- business.pdf?ext=.pdf page 9 15 Screen Producers Australia. Offsets to boost our economy (nd.) Available at - http://www.spaa.org.au/insights/offsets-to- boost-our-economy/ Page 5 of 13

Direct government funding for the screen industry Screen agency direct funding support is also vital to the continued growth of the television and online content production sectors. Direct funding from screen agencies is principally available for entry-level, low budget productions. It provides opportunities for the development of individuals, companies and projects. These programs contribute to talent development and project development which is essential to the future growth of the Australian television industry. In addition, direct funding is used in conjunction with tax offsets to support the development of premium drama and documentary. As a commissioning broadcaster of approximately 100 hours of Australian content per year, SBS benefits from the direct funding provided by federal, and state and territory screen agencies to production companies. Increased support could be provided, however, to mid-level productions, particularly in the Indigenous production sector, which is dominated by one or two major players, and a number of small players, but very few mid-level production companies. This is partly as a result of the challenges in securing funding for productions of this type. SBS submits that consideration should be given to greater support for mid-level productions. This could include the reduction of local expenditure thresholds, under both direct funding and Offset arrangements, for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous productions. Reducing thresholds could result in a greater number of productions from a broader range of industry players, which would have the effect of increasing diversity within the industry and supporting the development of more Australian content. Regulation of the Australian screen industry Co-productions To maximise investment in commissioned programming, SBS continues to explore co-financing opportunities in the international market. These opportunities are most likely to be achieved through commissions with the independent production sector. Increasingly, producers working with SBS are looking to finance a greater proportion of their budgets internationally amid continued pressure on state and federal agency funds. Australia’s official audiovisual co-production treaties are an important lever at the Government’s discretion, facilitating mutual benefit from a broad range of incentives across a small number of territories. In many cases, these treaties are critical in giving our producers, and projects, a competitive edge in a crowded marketplace. However, when compared to many other countries, Australia is lagging in the number of negotiated treaties. Production costs are rising and screen content has never being more internationally positioned. It is with this in mind that SBS supports calls for a renewed focus in negotiating co-production treaties so that we do not undermine the potential of our great screen stories or damage inward investment in local production. SBS supports industry calls for the continued negotiation of co-production treaties. Australian content quotas for commercial broadcasters Australian content requirements for commercial free-to-air broadcasters date back to 1961 and are common internationally16. Screen Australia notes that:

16 In 2015, the Canadian media regulator, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), cut the quota for the ratio of Canadian programs that local TV stations must broadcast during the day from 55 per cent to zero, while retaining the requirement that during weekday prime time — 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. — the requirement that 50 per Page 6 of 13

The object of the standard is to promote the role of commercial television services in developing and reflecting a sense of Australian identity, character and cultural diversity by supporting the community’s continued access to television programs produced under Australian creative control…Australian programs are defined by creative control and the origin of key creative personnel.17 Although quotas do not apply to public broadcasters, SBS recognises their value in ensuring that high quality, distinctive Australian content is available to all Australians on commercial free-to- air television. As noted on the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) website: …the BSA [Broadcasting Services Act 1992] requires all commercial free-to-air television licensees to broadcast an annual minimum transmission quota of 55 per cent Australian programming between 6am and midnight on their primary channel. They are also required to provide during the same time at least 1460 hours of 18 Australian programming on their non-primary channels. SBS notes that subscription television is also subject to local content expenditure requirements on drama services, and that some industry participants have recently called for content requirements to be introduced to international platforms, which are not currently subject to Australian content requirements19. Australian content on public broadcasters Unlike commercial free-to-air broadcasters, SBS does not currently have a quota for locally produced content. Currently SBS’s television schedule is less than 10% Australian content (excluding news, current affairs and sport). SBS recognises the potential benefits of extending the Australian content quotas to include SBS, which already has a history of developing, producing and distributing content which reflects Australia’s diversity and distinctiveness. However, the provision of specific, tied funding to support content quotas of this type would be essential. As SBS has previously noted, Australian content is not always commercially viable due to:  the high costs of commissioning Australian content when compared with acquiring international content; and  challenges in selling Australian content to overseas markets. In addition to these factors, some of the Australian content produced by SBS in line with its Charter obligations can be provocative or deal with difficult themes, making it less appealing to advertisers. SBS supports the development of increased distinctive, local Australian content. When viewed in combination with the organisation’s Charter – to provide multilingual and multicultural

cent of programming must be Canadian. In Europe, the ‘Television Without Frontiers’ Directive (TVWF Directive) is the cornerstone of the European Union's audiovisual policy. It rests on two basic principles: the free movement of European television programmes within the internal market and the requirement for TV channels to reserve, whenever possible, more than half of their transmission time for European works (‘broadcasting quotas’). In June 2016, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), the country’s public broadcaster, announced its intention to impose a local content quota of 90%. It was recently announced that Ofcom, the BBC’s regulator in the UK, is planning to set quotas for BBC One, BBC Two, CBeebies and CBBC. The plans would see three quarters of all programme hours on the BBC’s most popular channels playing original productions. This should rise to 90% during peak time (6pm-10.30pm), which is the current level at BBC One. 17 Screen Australia. Television Industry Content Regulation. Available at - https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/fact- finders/television/industry-trends/content-regulation 18 Australian Communications and Media Authority. Australian TV content. Available at - http://www.acma.gov.au/Industry/Broadcast/Television/Australian-content/australian-content-television 19 Screen Producers Australia. Screen Producers Australia calls on foreign subscription video on demand services to contribute their fair share (12 December 2016) – available at http://www.spaa.org.au/news/foreign-svod-contribution/ Page 7 of 13

programming – SBS would be open to the implementation of a content quota on its primary channel, should it be funded to develop this content. A quota of around 30% in peak viewing times is recommended to adequately deliver on SBS’s Charter and meet audience expectations of the network. The implementation of this quota would require an increase to SBS’s current commissioning budget. Actual costs would depend on genre focus, available screen agency funding, and government support. SBS is the most efficient broadcaster in Australia and continues to maximise investments in content and the delivery of services to all Australians. As such, SBS is not in a position to increase its Australian content without additional funding. If SBS were to be funded to produce and broadcast this level of Australian content, it would remain the most cost-efficient broadcaster in the country. Consideration of a quota should also include discussion of genre-specific priorities, and SBS would welcome further discussions with government on the development of a children’s strategy for multicultural, multilingual and Indigenous programming across the network. Future growth and sustainability of the Australian film and television industry SBS is passionate about the future development of the Australian production industry. Australian content should be celebrated and supported, as Australians value their cultural identity and heritage and should have the opportunity to see it reflected on screen. Government support for production, diversity of people and content, and facilitation of skills transfer across borders are crucial to this development. The following is a summary of the SBS’s recommendations for the future growth and sustainability of the television industry in Australia.

Recommendations

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APPENDIX A SBS Television: 2015-16 First Run SBS Commissioned Programs

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Appendix B Highlights of SBS’s commissioned programs for 2015-16  The Family Law In January 2016, the trailblazing comedy series The Family Law, based on the best-selling memoir by Benjamin Law, was broadcast to widespread praise from our audiences, and garnered the unique distinction of being the first Asian-Australian narrative comedy series in Australian television history.  The Principal The series navigated the intersection of family, migration and education, capturing audience attention with the thrilling and intense story of the death of a student at a disadvantaged boys’ high school.  Songlines on Screen A unique documentary partnership between NITV and Screen Australia, Songlines on Screen featured eight short films from the remote regions of Western, Northern and Central Australia, which represent Aboriginal people’s ongoing connection to land and culture.  Go Back To Where You Came From Season 3 The multi-award-winning series returned after three years to again provoke national debate about how Australia responds to refugees and asylum seekers. Six Australians challenged their strongly held beliefs about refugees and asylum-seekers on an immersive, reverse journey in which they retraced the steps of those seeking asylum to some of the most dangerous places in the world.  Kebab Kings An innovative and refreshing new series combining observational documentary and fixed rig cameras which lifted the lid on a multicultural institution – the kebab shop. The series followed two families in Sydney and Melbourne kebab shops, and looked at how they coped with the hordes of customers during the three-week period leading up to Christmas.  DNA Nation The flagship series was at the centre of a cross-network season of programs entitled SBS Explores Identity, examining what makes Australians who we are – from genetics to our cultural roots, from our shared passions to our individual identities. The groundbreaking DNA Nation followed one of Australia’s greatest Olympians Ian Thorpe, iconic Indigenous actor Ernie Dingo and TV presenter Julia Zemiro as they set off on an epic journey of genetic time travel to find out where they – and the rest of us – come from.  Untold Australia The single documentary season Untold Australia explored hidden worlds of cultural diversity through three documentaries by different production companies and directors – from the world of young Indian Australians trying to find love and marriage in Melbourne in Indian Wedding Race, to the struggling government and unique culture of Norfolk Island in A Modern Mutiny, and the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community of Adass Israel in Strictly Jewish: The Secret World Of Adass Israel.  Who Do You Think You Are? Series 7 The seventh series of the hugely popular SBS genealogy series featured one of its strongest line- ups ever in Toni Colette, David Wenham, Geoffrey Rush, Ray Martin, Luke Nguyen, Peter Rowsthorn, Greig Pickhaver and Dawn Fraser. Their stories took audiences from Peru to Vietnam,

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China, Germany and Ireland, uncovering family secrets along the way – an Irish rebel, a South American freedom fighter and a family who mastered music for 150 years.  Uranium – Twisting The Dragon’s Tail A series which explored the story of uranium, from its creation in an exploding star to its deployment in nuclear weapons, nuclear power and nuclear medicine. A co-production between SBS, PBS America and ZDF/Arte, it was critically acclaimed and won numerous awards.  Vietnam – The War That Made Australia Vietnam: The War That Made Australia followed the story of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam who, from 1962 to 1972, fought shoulder-to-shoulder with the Vietnamese army and became the most decorated unit in Australian military history.  Poh & Co. Series 2 In response to the 2015 series which was the year’s highest rating food show for the network, SBS commissioned a second series. It was open house again as Poh and Jonno created the ultimate veggie patch, expanded their market stall into a pop-up restaurant, and opened a market café.  Destination Flavour Scandinavia The popular SBS series Destination Flavour continued as Adam Liaw went far north to investigate the food revolution that has hit Scandinavia, the western equivalent of what Japanese food is to Asia – delicate, refined and artistic.  Food Safari Fire Food Safari returned to explore how cultures across the world cook with fire. In this visually spectacular series, host Maeve O’Meara learned the secrets to grilling, smoking, roasting and baking from some of Australia’s top chefs, cooks and barbecue devotees. The series aired from January to March.  Inside Heston’s World In this landmark series, Heston Blumenthal shifted his three Michelin starred restaurant The Fat Duck from England to Australia. The series aired in March and April, averaging 392,000 viewers.  Rachel Khoo’s Kitchen Notebook Melbourne The third-highest rating food show for the year aired from July to September. In Rachel Khoo’s Kitchen Notebook Melbourne the British food sensation immersed herself in the world-renowned foodie capital of Australia. Throughout her journey, Rachel revealed a rich, multicultural food scene and plenty of hidden sightseeing treasures.  Noma Australia Rene Redzepi moved his Michelin star restaurant Noma to Australia. The series documented the research, inspiration, creation and logistics behind the eagerly anticipated 2016 residency at Barangaroo on Sydney Harbour and aired between May and June.

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APPENDIX C Highlights of SBS commissioned content for 2016-17  Sunshine This drama will explore the world of South Sudanese refugees in Melbourne, following the story of a young basketball star forced to fight for his innocence after being accused of an assault.  Safe Harbour A bold psychological thriller about a group of friends whose holiday of a lifetime alters their lives forever after crossing paths with a raft overloaded with asylum seekers when sailing around Australia.  The Family Law Season 2 The second series of Law’s coming-of-age story follows the adventures of this gloriously dysfunctional - and universally relatable - Chinese-Australian family.  Is Australia Racist? Australia is one of the most multicultural countries in the world, but this program asks whether opening our doors to other races and religions made us a tolerant society or a racist one? To find out, this series carries out the largest survey ever on racism and prejudice in Australia and in a sequence of ground-breaking social experiments using cameras on the streets this confronting and eye-opening documentary will capture a side of Australia rarely seen.  Date My Race This is a more light-hearted and eye-opening documentary explores the role that race plays in the world of dating, specifically in the online world, and asks – when looking for love, do racial preferences amount to racism?  The Truth About Racism There is new science that can detect racial bias in the brain, the science may even offer solutions in how to change racism. This is the first documentary to showcase this pioneering science. In a unique social experiment presenter Yassmin Abdel-Magied and four volunteers of different backgrounds undergo a range of scientific tests to understand and explore their own prejudice, and you the viewer can test yourself.  Filthy Rich and Homeless Presented by Indira Naidoo, this program will give Australians a new perspective on what life is like for the nation’s growing homeless population.  Look Me in the Eye An exciting new social experiment based on the proven counseling technique of non-verbal communication, hosted by Ray Martin.  Undressed The most diverse dating show to hit Australian screens, with an opportunity for SBS to explore the Charter in a fun - and cheeky - way. The match-making experiment has a strong emphasis on the science and psychological theory of two strangers engaging in accelerated intimacy.  The Chefs Line Over 13 weeks the series explores the heritage, history and diversity that drives Australia’s restaurant culture, with home cooks challenging the very best chefs in cuisines across the country.

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 Gourmet Farmer, A returning SBS food favourite with Matthew Evans.  Destination Flavour Singapore Adam Liaw explores his heritage through food and travel.  Recipe for Life A glimpse at Shane Delia’s life away from his restaurants.  Family Rules Giving all Australians an insight into modern Indigenous family life through the eyes of nine sisters, and their incredible mother.  Little J & Big Cuz Leading Indigenous talent Miranda Tapsell, Deborah Mailman, Ningali Lawford and Aaron Fa’aoso will also star in NITV’s ground-breaking new children’s animated series, Little J & Big Cuz.

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