The Australian Greens are announcing their policy to establish a Creativity Commission and bolster our local creative industries at this year’s Screen Forever conference.

 “Our economy and our industries are rapidly changing. A creativity commission would give Australians the resources and the license to think about things differently to maximise success,” Greens arts spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Australian Greens have announced today (Friday) they will introduce legislation to ban the import and sale of fake Aboriginal art, to overhaul the way Aboriginal art is marketed and sold, ensure its authenticity and protect the artists who produce it.

“For too long, Aboriginal artists have been ripped off and consumers have been duped by souvenirs imported to Australia from places like Indonesia and China where it is cheap to produce,” Greens arts and trade spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Liberal Government has refused to rule out further cuts to the ABC and does not know the name of the Indigenous nation it is planning to place yet another memorial to Captain James Cook on, it was revealed in senate estimates today.

Australian Greens communications and arts spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young asked Minister Mitch Fifield and his department what Indigenous nation the monument would be erected upon during Senate estimates this morning.

“While the Greens support digital innovation and regulation, we’re never going to support throwing creative artists under the bus,” Greens arts spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

“Our message to creative artists is unequivocal. We’re here to ensure the law empowers you, enables you, enhances you and emboldens you. The law should never impoverish you. Laws that hurt you hurt us, and we’ll fight them with you, shoulder to shoulder, day in, day out,” she said.

The Australian Greens have today launched an inquiry into the Economic and Cultural Value of Australian Content on Broadcast, Radio and Streaming Services to shine a light the contribution Australian-made television, film and music makes to our social and cultural fabric.

The Australian Greens welcome the Federal Government reviewing local content requirements for children’s television on traditional commercial broadcasters and new streaming services.

“This review must provide practical measures to strengthen Australian children television content for broadcasters and streaming services,” Greens arts and youth spokesperson Senator Hanson-Young said.

“If the big commercial broadcasters have their way, local content quotas would be no more and our children would go without. This simply can’t be allowed to happen.

The Australian Greens are proud to stand with children’s television producers from around the country in fighting to maintain, and strengthen, local content laws.

“Australian children’s television is under attack by big commercial broadcasters who want to cheap out on local content, and the flow-on effects would be irreversibly devastating for our broader community. We welcome the industry joining the fight to #SaveKidsTV,” Greens arts and youth spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

Proposed changes to copyright laws in Australia do nothing to protect artists and devalue their contribution to our society, The Australian Greens say.

"The Productivity Commission's report is more about a establishing a protection racket for the big multi-national corporations like Google, than a genuine response to audience needs or investing in Australian jobs or industry," Greens Arts spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.