Australians are enthusiastic about homegrown content, but actually tracking it down is a different story.
That’s the headline takeaway from Screen Currency 2026, a major new research project from Screen Australia that surveyed more than 13,750 people across the country and eight international markets to measure the cultural, economic and global value of Australian TV, film, online content and games.
The numbers paint a telling picture. According to Screen Australia’s findings, 84 per cent of Australians agree that access to local screen content is important, and three quarters say they’re interested in watching more. But despite that appetite, 60 per cent spend less than a third of their viewing time on Australian-made content, and only 36 per cent think it’s actually easy to find.
In other words, the demand is there, but the supply chain between creator and couch has a serious leak.
Screen Currency 2026
- 84 per cent of Australians agree that access to local screen content is important
- 75 per cent say they’re interested in watching more
- But 60 per cent spend less than a third of their viewing time on Australian-made content
- Only 36 per cent reckon it’s actually easy to find
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An $11 billion industry
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A big part of the problem, the report argues, is the way younger audiences now discover what to watch.
Rather than browsing TV guides or heading to a cinema, they’re navigating across streaming platforms, social media, gaming and short-form content, with algorithms and peer recommendations doing most of the heavy lifting. That shift means discoverability has become just as critical as production. Making something brilliant is only half the battle if nobody can find it buried under 47 posts on an algorithm-curated feed.
Beyond the cultural hand-wringing, Screen Currency 2026 also makes a strong economic case for the sector.
According to the report, Australian screen and games contributed more than $11 billion in gross value added to the national economy in the 2023/24 financial year, directly employing close to 70,000 people in 2024/25.
Exports hit $1.6 billion in 2023/24, with the games sector proving to be the standout performer. Australian games exports have been growing at an average of 15 per cent year-on-year, with the sector’s economic contribution more than doubling since 2016/17.
Australian games studios now earn 95 per cent of their revenue from overseas markets. Melbourne has long been a hub for that scene, with local developers and composers pushing the boundaries of what Australian-made games can achieve.
A more subtle tourism draw
The international soft power angle is worth noting too, especially from a country that tends to be overt in its marketing.
Half of respondents surveyed across eight global markets said watching Australian film and TV made them more interested in visiting the country, while 74 per cent of Chinese respondents said it helped them understand Australian culture. The strongest markets for Australian content are India, New Zealand, China and the UK, which the report identifies as key growth opportunities.
On the local content front, 71 per cent of Australian audiences reported taking some kind of action after engaging with homegrown screen stories.
- 43 per cent discussed what they watched
- 36 per cent researched a topic further
- 27 per cent recommended it to someone
- 22 per cent changed their behaviour
Three quarters of respondents agreed that local content reflects the breadth and diversity of contemporary Australia, though qualitative research found that audiences, particularly younger viewers, want portrayals that move beyond surface-level stereotypes.
The full findings are split across five reports covering audience insights, industry dynamics, economic data and global impact, all available through the dedicated Screen Currency microsite.
A pivotal time for the industry
The report lands at a moment when Australian screen and games are riding genuine international momentum. Titles like Untitled Goose Game and Hollow Knight have become global phenomena in the indie games space, while shows like Colin From Accounts and Heartbreak High have found audiences well beyond Australian shores.
The local screen pipeline continues to grow too, with Victorian-developed features backed by Screen Australia and VicScreen creating hundreds of jobs for local screen workers.
But Screen Currency 2026 argues that sustaining that success will require more than just good content. The report pushes for stronger support for Australian businesses to build lasting intellectual property, deepen audience relationships and compete in global markets increasingly shaped by platform gatekeepers.
For a sector built overwhelmingly on small-to-medium enterprises, the challenge is real, but the research suggests the foundations are solid.
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