'Games Industry' Recognised By The Australian Greens Party
For immediate release
MEDIA RELEASE
MELBOURNE - Wednesday 14 November, 2007 -
On the eve of the Official Opening of GDAA's Game Connect: Asia Pacific 2007 Conference and Expo, Australian Greens Senator Christine Milne today met with the Game Developers' Association of Australia (GDAA) at the Tantalus Studios in Melbourne.
Senator Milne today announced that the Greens would work to ensure that Australian interactive games developers received the same support that our film industry receives via a production tax offset.
Tom Crago, GDAA President and CEO of Tantalus said that "we are delighted to have the support of the Australian Greens. We approached them at the same time that we approached the Labor and Liberal parties, and since then the Greens have carefully considered our claim to the tax offset. The support they have offered today exceeds that offered by the major parties, and is testimony to the fact that the Australian Greens recognise the true potential of the interactive games industry as an important part of Australia's smart economy. All Australian gamers should know that the Greens are in their corner."
CEO of the Game Developers' Association of Australia (GDAA) Greg Bondar said the Senator's announcement today is vindication of our stance on this issue and further adds weight to call for a the tax rebate to be extended to include the game developers.
"It now appears that the time has come for our industry to be recognised as a legitimate contributor to the Australian economy and the international games arena by governments of all persuasion" added Bondar.
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Game Connect: Asia Pacific 2007 Further Details:
15-17 November, 2007 Greg Bondar
Melbourne, Australia CEO GDAA
Melbourne Convention Centre Ph: +6139866 6322
Email: gcap2007@icms.com.au Mobile: 0411 854 115
Web: www.gameconnectap.com
About the Game Developers Association of Australia:
The Game Developers' Association of Australia (GDAA) was established in December 1999. Today, the association comprises corporate members from game development companies and educational institutions, associate corporate members (in service sectors that support the industry), individuals and students.
The main purpose of the GDAA is to increase the profile of the Australian electronic games industry both domestically and internationally in order to:
Promote the growth of the game industry in Australia
Represent the interests of GDAA members
Attract capital and publishers from offshore and increase local investment
Retain and attract the talent that exists in the local industry
Promote a sense of community within the industry
Stats and facts about the games industry:
The Australian games industry is worth an estimated $110 million per year
Australians spend over A$2 million per day on interactive computer games
Total sales in 2006 for the industry was $1 billion1
Annual compound growth of the industry is 12.3%2
12.5m games were sold in 20063
6.1m video game consoles have been sold since 20004
3.6m Australian households have a video game console
4.8million Australian households have an internet enabled PC which is capable of playing games5
The average age of gamers is 28 years
60%of gamers are male and 40% female
35% of gamers are parents and 8% are seniors
Families are an integral part of playing games
8,500 Australians are directly employed in the video game industry in 2007
By 2010, the GDAA estimate that 18,000 people will be directly employed in the video game industry in Australia.