The back-of-the-envelope math does not look good. It now appears that much of the budget for “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” the most expensive film ever made in Australia, was funded by Australian taxpayers.
Screen NSW, a government agency supporting New South Wales’ role as a film production site, likely at minimum contributed 50 million Australian dollars ($33.2 million) toward the film’s AU$333.2 million budget. The film, directed by Australian George Miller, also likely received AU$133 million from the federal government’s producer offset program, which rebates 40% of qualifying expenditures.
Exact figures are unclear because the recipients of tax offsets and how much they receive are regarded as commercial secrets in Australia.
Regardless of whether you saw the movie, liked the movie or feel it should be considered a good film, the more pressing question is whether its making was a good use of taxpayer money?
