Home topics technology Expert Opinion Software Expert If the government truly cares about the tech sector, it mustn’t neglect video game makers Ross Symons May 31, 2017 The Australian game development industry is frustrated. Incredibly so. One of the bodies that represents local companies in the industry, iGEA, recently published an open letter to Senator Mitch Fifield, who, as Minister for Arts, is the chief member of parliament responsible for supporting the games industry. Here’s an except from that letter: “… time and time again, we’re left out of the screen conversation. Earlier this month, you announced an Australian content review. While we will remain positive, we doubt there will be anything about games. Just last week ACMA, in conjunction with your Department, held a conference on the Australian content conversation. You delivered the keynote. Again, there was nothing about games. Our hopes were up on 29 April 2016, when the Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications presented its report on the future of Australia’s video game development industry and followed with eight recommendations for the government to help the sector to reach its potential. We thought we’d finally received the recognition from government that we needed and deserved. It’s been 390 days since the Senate Standing Committee handed down its report, and you are yet to respond.” In fact, the sole interaction that the Australian government has had with the games industry was to defund a small, $20 million fund that the previous Labor government had established to