CAROLINE FULTON
ASSISTANT SECRETARY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES BRANCH
AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT

Caroline Fulton is the Assistant Secretary of the Creative Industries Branch in the Office for the Arts in the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.

Caroline is Chair of the Film Certification Advisory Board which provides advice to Government on applications to the Location Offset and the Post, Digital and Visual Effects (PDV) Offset.

The Creative Industries Branch develops and administers programs and policies that support the creative industries including the Australian screen industry. The Branch administers the Location Offset, PDV Offset, the Location Incentive and the Foreign Actors Certification Scheme; provides funding for Ausfilm and Australian Children’s Television Foundation; negotiates international Co-Production agreements; and undertakes agency support and oversight of Screen Australia and the Australian Film, Television and Radio School.

JO SHARP
DIRECTOR
OFFICE FOR THE ARTS
AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT

Jo Sharp is the Director in the Screen Industry section in the Office for the Arts in the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.

The Screen Industry section manages the administration of the Post, Digital and Visual Effects Offset and the Location Offset, as well as administering the $140 million Location Incentive. The team also manages the Foreign Actor Certification Scheme, and negotiation of international co-production agreements.

In addition, the Screen Industry team provides governance oversight to portfolio agencies Screen Australia and the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS), and works closely with Ausfilm and the Australian Children’s Television Foundation.

BRETT THORNQUEST
Director
CONTRARIAN

Established in 2009, Contrarian is a private group of business advisory and service companies, operating solely within the film & tv production industry.

The founder and principal is Brett Thornquest (CPA, Registered Tax Agent).  Before creating Contrarian, Brett was a senior executive within the Moneypenny Group from 2000 to 2008. His career to date has seen Brett develop a unique combination of experience at the coalface of the entertainment industry, initially working as an on-set production accountant before transitioning to high-level film & television project tax advisory and compliance.

The primary focus of Contrarian is the provision of tax, advisory and compliance services to production companies, lenders and financiers and their specific projects seeking to access Australia’s various Federal and State Government incentives e.g.  the Producer, Location and PDV Offsets and their regional/provincial equivalents. Since its inception, Contrarian has extensive experience submitting project claims across a mix of US studio, local Australian and international feature co-productions and television series and mini-series.