The Hon Rod Kemp was Minister for the Arts and Sport from Friday 23 November 2001 to Tuesday 30 January 2007. This site is available for archival purposes only.
Appointments to film investment scheme advisory panel
The Australian Government further consolidated its commitment to Australia’s film industry today, by announcing the appointment of a new Selection Advisory Panel for its Film Licensed Investment Company (FLIC) scheme.
The appointments follow the Government’s decision to extend the FLIC scheme to encourage support for Australian filmmakers by private investors.
‘Following the extension of the FLIC scheme, I would now like to confirm the membership of the five-member Selection Advisory Panel,’ the Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp said.
‘Mr Geoff Levy AO (Chair), Mr Bob Campbell, Ms Cass O’Connor and Mr Roger Le Mesurier have been appointed as panel members and will bring with them a wealth of valuable industry knowledge,’ Senator Kemp said.
The Government will be represented on the panel by Ms Lynn Bean of the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts.
‘This is an impressive mix of industry expertise and experience from the film, commercial, legal and Government sectors,’ Senator Kemp said.
Under the FLIC Scheme 2005, a company will be granted a licence to raise up to $10 million in concessional capital in both 2005–06 and 2006–07. Investors in the FLIC will benefit from a 100 per cent upfront tax deduction on shares purchased.
The FLIC Selection Advisory Panel will be responsible for assessing applications for the licence and will make a recommendation to the Minister on who should be granted the licence. The successful applicant will need to show strong connections to, and an understanding of, the local film production sector, as well as demonstrate a robust strategy for investment.
Applications for the FLIC licence close at 5pm on Friday 23 September 2005.
Further information about the FLIC scheme is available on the Department of Communications Information Technology and the Arts’ website: www.dcita.gov.au/arts/film_digital or write to flicapplications2005@dcita.gov.au
Selection Advisory Panel members for Film Licensed Investment Company Scheme
Mr Geoff Levy AO – Chair
Mr Levy is the Executive Chairman of Investec Bank (Aust) Ltd and its wholly owned subsidiary Investec Wentworth Pty Ltd. He was Chair of the Film Finance Corporation Australia from 1999 to 2003 and a Director from 1997. His listed company directorships include Mirvac Group Ltd, STW Communications Group Ltd and Ten Network Holdings Ltd. He is also Chairman of Miller’s Retail Ltd and a director of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of New South Wales.
Mr Bob Campbell
Mr Campbell is Executive Director of Screentime Pty Ltd and was Chair of the FFC from 1996 to 1999. Screentime operates in the fields of telemovies, mini‑series, long form drama, children’s drama and infotainment and has produced such programs as the ABC TV drama series MDA, the Logie Award winning mini‑series Jessica, the award winning telemovie My Husband My Killer and the recently completed mini-series for ITV and Network Ten, Mary Bryant.
Mr Roger Le Mesurier
Mr Le Mesurier is a Producer with Simpson Le Mesurier Films. In partnership with Beyond International, Beyond Simpson Le Mesurier has produced more than 350 hours of drama programs including: Stingers , Something In The Air, Good Guys/Bad Guys, Life and Dog Woman. His other credits include Halifax f.p. and the children’s series SilverSun. He is presently producing Answered By Fire, an international co-production for the ABC and Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Ms Cass O’Connor
Ms O’Connor is a Corporate Advisor with the company Carnegie, Wylie and Co. She has more than 20 years experience in media, telecommunications and entertainment, primarily in financial and strategic advisory roles. Her clients in Australia have included the Nine Network, Westpac Banking Corporation, the Seven Network, Foxtel, Optus, News Limited, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the Australian Government.
Ms Lynn Bean
Ms Bean is currently acting as Deputy Secretary, Arts and Sport in the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. A lawyer by training, she has worked in government agencies in Australia and the United Kingdom and as an adviser to the Australian Government. She is a member of the board of Bundanon Trust and the Old Parliament House Governing Council.
MELBOURNE
23 September 2005
Media contact: Adrian Chippindale, 02 6277 7350 or 0407 208 743