New "film friendly principles" to be introduced in Victoria

The Victorian Parliament has passed the Filming Approval Bill 2014.

The purpose of the Bill is to cut red tape from the highly complex process for obtaining commercial filming permits and to create a clear legal framework for commercial filming on public land managed by local and State governmental bodies.

The Hon Louise Asher MP released a statement on the Bill saying:

"The screen industry is highly competitive, deadline driven and cost sensitive. The ease of doing business is a key consideration for a footloose production finalising is project location."

To achieve its task, the Bill sets out eight "film friendly principles" that are designed to harmonise the permit approval policies, processes, timeframes, fees and documentation across Victoria's various governmental bodies.