Latest news with #TourismWA
7NEWS
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- 7NEWS
Home and Away to film in WA for first time in TV drama's history
Home and Away will film in WA for the first time in the show's 37-year history, and the team behind Australia's number one TV drama has promised an 'ambitions, high-stakes' storyline to mark the occasion. The program will swap Summer Bay for WA in October, with filming to take place across several locations including Perth, the state's rugged coastline and expansive outback. Home and Away's series producer, Lucy Addario, said the team is 'beyond excited' to be filming out west. 'Its awe-inspiring beauty, diverse landscapes and sheer scale make it the perfect backdrop for this huge storyline,' Addario said. Pre-production is underway for the five special episodes, which will showcase WA to audiences in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and almost 50 other international markets. The trip west is in partnership with Tourism WA and the WA Government, which is keen to capitalise on the 250,000 UK viewers who tune into Home and Away every night. The UK is already WA's largest tourism market, with 117,000 visitors from there pouring about $240 million into the local economy in 2024. 'We are thrilled' 'From Summer Bay to WA, we are thrilled to welcome one of Australia's most iconic television shows to our state,' WA Tourism Minister Reece Whitby said. 'Home and Away has been a staple of Australian television for close to 40 years, and this special WA storyline presents a great opportunity to showcase the state to millions of viewers across the country and around the world. 'When our pristine coastline and diverse tourism experiences are broadcast to homes across the country and overseas next year, we encourage viewers to come and see these spectacular locations for themselves.' Tourism Council WA chief executive Evan Hall said WA's beaches and coastal lifestyle 'are really appealing to the UK visitor'. 'Getting in with Home and Away is the ideal way to showcase that,' he told 7NEWS. The episodes are expected to air on Seven and 7plus in 2026.
West Australian
04-07-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Herd on the Terrace: Roger Cook might be walking on a nightmare with 'Made in WA' pledge
The Bull has been pondering whether Roger Cook is walking into a nightmare thanks to his government's obsession with making stuff in WA. Cook was out of the frying pan and into the fire this week after revelations the next Tourism WA advertising campaign will be partly produced on the east coast. Procuring elaborate visuals of flying whale sharks from elsewhere would ordinarily not be especially unusual, given Western Australia has three million people and a reasonably small film industry. But the government has walked (on a dream) into a locally-built mess given 'Made in WA' was their flagship pledge in a thumping March State Election victory. When mission-critical manufacturing jobs including buses, power line towers and batteries must be assembled in the State — at great expense — artists would be fair enough to ask why there are no such requirements for creative work. Then where does it end? Stand down, BHP's fly-in, fly-out work force, Rita Saffioti wants you in Neerabup slapping together over-priced refrigerators. Petroleum engineer? Not any more! Off to Bellevue to join local procurement champions Alstom. The French company will bank $1.4 billion to make the new Metronet C-Series rail cars in India, ship them to Perth, and add a few highly uncomfortable seats in a warehouse. Hope you know how to hold a welding torch! The new trains are a true tribute to globalisation, although the local union movement would never admit that. When 'Made in WA' is your biggest promise, it becomes the metric by which every decision will be judged. We may have a shortage of workers in WA but there's never a deficit of political over-commitment. Just when you thought the so-called national carrier was cleared for reputational take-off, cyber criminals have aimed their keyboards at Qantas. Close to six million Australians were in fear that their frequent flyer points had been siphoned off to Nigeria this week when the Flying Kangaroo revealed a major data breach. Thankfully, the government-protected airline promised customers 'no frequent flyer accounts were compromised', just personal identity details. All good then! Why bother stealing all those hard-earned points anyway, given they would probably expire before arrival. The hackers are as yet unknown but The Bull expects they will soon release the membership list of Qantas' infamous Chairman's Lounge as proof of life. When director Todd Sampson — who parachutes off the board at the end of the month — hosted the 2016-2020 TV show Body Hack, we can only assume Qantas did not intend the title to be taken literally. We hope Todd can imitate Liam Neeson and personally track down Australia's Taken passport details. Recent openings in two of WA's top lobbying jobs will mean anyone who's ever been in a photo with the Artful Roger will want to put their hands up for the prized positions. Plenty of eyes are on Association of Mining and Exploration Companies boss Warren Pearce as a top option to replace Chamber of Minerals and Energy chief Rebecca Tomkinson when she jets off to a lucrative London trade gig. Also hunting for new hires will be the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA, thanks to the swift departure of fly-in, fly-out boss Peter Cock after just four months. A tenacious orator, Pearce made a name for himself for scoring tax production credits (or taxpayer handouts, depending on your persuasion) for the State's critical minerals battlers, and is regarded as a tactful treader between business and government. The CME job requires ensuring powerful members — such as Rio Tinto and BHP — have their needs heard loud and clear at the cabinet table. And we wouldn't want these multibillion-dollar multinationals left without a voice. Alas, word is the lobbyist has actually started to turn a shade of cerulean denying his interest in the role, and is dead set on staying put . . . really.
ABC News
04-07-2025
- Business
- ABC News
WA screen industry workers call on government to enforce 'buy local' policy
Tourism WA is working on the next phase of its push to sell the state as a premium holiday destination, but an east coast-based director and production company will be used for part of the work. Mark Braddock, a board member of IN:WA, which represents 40 creative production companies in the state, says it is always frustrating when local firms miss out on state government work. "For us, it's all about keeping taxpayers' money in the state and building out a production ecosystem that allows the state to service the government's policy commitments through Diversify WA and their buy local policy, and the investment they're making in Creative WA strategy," he said. Mr Braddock said the government was making a big investment in new film studios in Malaga, but private commercial work such as government ad campaigns was vital to sustain the local workforce. "At the moment, our local production companies are really struggling," he said. "[WA government agencies] are the biggest client for us in the state. A state government spokesperson said local company The Brand Agency had been chosen to lead the development and production of the Tourism WA campaign. The firm assessed more than 50 suppliers, including ones from WA, for their experience and ability to deliver value for money for the taxpayer-funded campaign. "Unfortunately, while a local production company and director were shortlisted, the cost identified was prohibitively higher than the chosen option," the spokesperson told ABC Radio Perth. But Premier Roger Cook acknowledged the screen industry's concerns and said he was disappointed a local production company was not selected. "We know that in WA we've got some great production crews and I'm sure that work could have been undertaken in Western Australia," he said. "I can't see a need to export that sort of work." Mr Cook's support was welcomed by Perth-based camera assistant Arthur Bienkowski, who has worked as a camera assistant for 15 years. Mr Bienkowski said he had regularly seen WA workers miss out and that he would like to see the state government's "buy local" policy more strictly enforced. "There are good productions where they do engage locals and they try their hardest to support the local industry," he said. "And it's cost-effective for them to do so — historically, our rates are actually a lot lower than on the east coast, and yet our proficiency is quite high. "Then there's others where they maybe take the easy route and employ someone they know and work with all the time rather than taking a risk on someone they don't from here. Mr Bienkowski recently finished work on a Bruce Beresford film called The Travellers that was shot entirely in Western Australia and said the feedback for the local production workers was positive. "They used as many locals as they possibly could," he said. "Towards the end of the shoot Bruce Beresford and his longtime cinematographer Peter James, who was my direct boss on that job, said that the local crew were as good as any crew they've ever worked with, and they used the words 'world class.'" Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance representative John Fairhead said the union had been advocating for more stringent employment requirements on government projects for years. "Historically the TVC [television commercial] sector is what has kept us going," he said. "TVCs support freelancers in between long-form productions." Mr Bienkowski said working on TV commercials also supported the professional development of film crews, which would be needed for the expected expansion of the sector. Perth Film Studios, which have been financed by the state government at a cost of more than $200 million, are expected to open at Malaga next year and create hundreds of jobs. "It's a no-brainer if you're the state government — [TV ad campaigns] should be going back into the industry here," Mr Bienkowski said. The Brand Agency declined a request to comment.
West Australian
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Australian Idol star Amy Reeves and celebrity MasterChef Julie Goodwin to headline Shinju Matsuri 2025
Australian Idol star Amy Reeves and celebrity chef Julie Goodwin will headline Broome's beloved Shinju Matsuri this August, as the long-running Festival of the Pearl secures funding to continue for at least another three years. Reeves, fresh from her top three finish on Australian Idol, will take to the stage at the festival's signature Sunset Long Table Dinner on Cable Beach as well as the Festival Finale. She'll be joined by MasterChef's inaugural winner Julie Goodwin, who will serve up a feast under the stars at one of Western Australia's most iconic dining experiences. The 16-day celebration of Broome's rich multicultural heritage, pearling history and community spirit will run from August 23 to September 7, 2025. Tourism Minister Reece Whitby said the WA Government was proud to continue its support of Shinju Matsuri through Tourism WA's Regional Events Program, with fresh funding now secured until 2027. 'Extending support of the Shinju Matsuri Festival through the Regional Events Program is a testament to the WA Government's commitment to growing tourism, celebrating culture, and to growing the economy of the North West region,' Mr Whitby said. 'For 55 years, this iconic festival has infused the town with energy and excitement, drawing more and more visitors to the region, boosting local tourism and stimulating the economy.' This year's program will also feature crowd favourites including the Shinju Float Parade, Carnival of Nations, Chinatown Feast, Floating Lanterns Matsuri, and Sand 'n Sounds. Attracting around 2000 visitors annually and injecting approximately $6.5 million into the local economy, Shinju Matsuri remains one of WA's longest-running and most beloved regional festivals. With roots tracing back to Broome's pearling boom — when Japanese, Malaysian and Chinese fortune-seekers brought their cultural traditions to the North West — the festival continues to celebrate the rich diversity that shaped the town's identity. For more information, visit
Sydney Morning Herald
03-07-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Disappointing': Why is east coast talent producing WA's next tourism campaign?
WA Premier Roger Cook has taken an extraordinary swipe at the state's largest creative agency after it was revealed 30 per cent of the next major tourism campaign for the state will be produced on the east coast. The Brand Agency has been tasked with producing the next iteration of Tourism WA's Walking on a Dream campaign, with Cook confirming that about 30 per cent of the production would take place outside WA. 'It's pretty disappointing, right? And we know that in WA, we've got some great production crews, and I'm sure that work could have been undertaken in Western Australia.,' he said. 'They've assured us that of that production crew, 70 per cent will be sourced from Western Australia, but I just invite them to reflect on the fact that WA has great production, great people working for creative industries. I can't see a need to export that sort of work.' When asked whether he could reverse the contract, Cook said it had already been struck, and he had only found out about the outsourcing of work on Thursday. Deputy Liberal leader Libby Mettam said the issue showed the government wasn't listening to its own Made in WA message it took to the March election. 'This program was meant to be about selling a message about backing Western Australia, and yet the Premier isn't,' she said. 'It's extraordinary hypocrisy, the fact that they are looking outside WA to sell this important message highlights the fact that the Premier is not listening to his own message and is not backing the expertise that we have here in this state.' Independent Commercial Communications Businesses lead Mark Braddock said on ABC radio on Thursday morning that, by their calculations, five of the last eight major productions from the WA government had been sent over east.
