The Australian Writers Guild which has 600 full members. Executive Director Jacqueline Woodman told the IAWG that they have been in negotiations for the last few months. They secured a whopping 31% increase in their basic use fee and some conditions for new media use. But they still have important sectors not properly covered by collective agreements, like children’s television writing.

Unfortunately the political climate isn’t great for the arts at the moment in Australia thanks to a government that doesn’t value culture. But the coming Australian election may change that.

AWG president Tim Pyre has just launched a new series on one of Australia’s pay channels. It’s a short run half hour comedy called Stupid Stupid Man about the staff of a soft porn magazine. Here’s a clip: