21 November, 2003 10:56 PM
I'm watching the AFI (Australian Film Industry) Awards on TV as I write this. Its no academy awards thats for sure - but interesting. Japanese Story won best film.
Almost every person accepting an award made comment on how the Australian Federal Government is using culture as a bargaining chip in free trade talks with the United States.
'Filmmakers say their worst fears were borne out yesterday at a meeting with Federal Government officials, where it was confirmed that local content regulations for TV and new media will be traded-off and used to extract concessions in the free trade agreement.
"Australia has handed over its cultural policies to the United States, which effectively means our cultural policies will now be determined by the major US studios," said the executive director of the Australian Screen Directors' Association, Richard Harris.'
Also in the paper today regarding Australia/US relations at present is US hid vital war data from allies.
