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The Australian government will introduce laws mandating digital services to invest a specified amount of funds in homegrown content, according to official sources on Tuesday.

Services including Disney+ along with additional providers that have 1M users must contribute at least 10% of their local spending or seven and a half percent of revenue on local productions.

The law will be introduced to lawmakers this week covering documentaries and educational programmes.

Government ministers announced this initiative is designed to safeguard production jobs within the industry. Streaming services are yet to commented publicly.

'Extraordinary shows'

"We have local production requirements for broadcast television and pay television, however previously, we lacked no guarantee that we could see our own stories on streaming services," an official representative stated.

"Since their introduction in Australia, streaming services have produced numerous remarkable shows. This obligation will ensure such productions – Australian content – continue to be made."

According to reports, legislation is scheduled for presentation to Parliament in the coming days.

These updated production obligations were meant to be implemented by July last year however worries regarding potential conflicts with a free trade agreement with the US led to the initiative being delayed.

Officials cited challenges engaging in discussions with the US during their electoral process.

Following the U.S. election, concerns emerged regarding if the rules might prompt American officials to impose trade measures against Australia.

Now, with the dust settled, and with improved relations internationally, these regulations have returned for consideration.

While professional associations welcomed the news, streamers have yet to issue statements on the matter.

Previously, digital services released a report emphasizing their cultural and financial contribution to the country's entertainment sector.

However, it was seen by some as a pre-emptive strike in anticipation at future regulation.

Production slump

Current local productions on streaming platforms feature multiple programs across different genres.

Like many countries, Australia's creative industries have suffered recently, in part due to the production slump throughout the health crisis.

During the fiscal period recently concluded, funding for feature films and television dramas produced domestically fell by nearly 30%, as reported by industry data.