Actors’ Equity Australia is thrilled to announce the appointment of Sue McCreadie as its new director, commencing on March 1. Ms McCreadie joins Equity from NSW Trade & Investment where she was responsible for managing the state’s film incentives including, last year, a one-off $20 million Film Fund. Ms McCreadie will provide Equity with strong leadership in a challenging era, ensuring that performers’ rights are maintained and enhanced.

Equity's Federal President, Simon Burke, said the new appointment would ensure that performers continued to be well-represented.

“Sue is well-loved and respected on all sides of the industry. Her track record of excellence and achievement, whether with the state government, the Australian Writers’ Guild, with Screen NSW or with the Film Finance Corporation makes her ideally placed to step into this key role in the Australian entertainment industry.”

In an era when celebrity rules, Noni Hazlehurst worries that lack of opportunities for actors to do high-calibre work will have a negative impact on public perception of their worth

It is a great honour to be an actor. Through my work, I have discovered something my parents and my culture never taught me − that it’s okay to be me, that I don’t have to be perfect, that I am not alone with all my weaknesses and strengths, my doubts and fears, my highs and lows.

The joy of acting, of working on great plays that examine the human condition, is that you come to realise that it’s not just you who feels inadequate or does stupid things or feels insecure at times. And you experience the value of promulgating this liberating information and crashing through the ubiquitous barriers of spin and pretence that govern most of our public behaviour. Acting is about communicating not just emotions but ideas.

Voiceover artists across the country have voted to unilaterally increase rates of pay as of February 1, 2012.

See the new rates and conditions here.

Equity has historically negotiated minimum rates for commercial voiceover work with the peak body for the advertising industry, the Communications Council (formally the Advertising Federation of Australia). The rates for commercial voiceovers were last increased on June 1, 2008. Despite many attempts by Equity to negotiate with the Communications Council this year for an increase in commercial voiceover rates and amendments to the current internet protocol, the Communications Council has not agreed to meet with Equity to discuss these rates and conditions.

On Thursday November 10, 2011, voiceover performers met nationally and unanimously voted to increase commercial voiceover minimum rates by 10% from February 1, 2012.

Equity notes that the 10% increase in minimum rates is in line with CPI increases over the last three years.

Our much-loved company is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a wealth of offerings, from classical favourites to newly commissioned works

"It is one of those milestones that really makes you stop and think about where you have been and where you are going."

The Australian Ballet's artistic director David McAllister has spent more than four years planning what he describes as "our biggest season ever" to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary in 2012. "The Australian Ballet is now at the point where we can say, 'We are a mature company with history and tradition, and we have uniqueness we should celebrate’," says McAllister. "Our season next year is very much about honouring the successes of the past, as well as looking to the future of ballet. I'd say it's an equal split."

The golden anniversary will kick off in February with Infinity, a triple bill from three of Australia's most acclaimed directors: former Sydney Dance Company chief Graeme Murphy, Chunky Move founder Gideon Obarzanek and Bangarra Dance Theatre artistic director Stephen Page.

Actors Equity Australia welcomes the Convergence Review’s interim report findings, which recognise the importance of local content in a new media landscape.

The Interim Report of the Convergence Review Committee was released yesterday following a six month review process. It recommended that all Content Service Enterprises – a new term to describe those businesses delivering audiovisual material to Australians – be subject to Australian content requirements.

“We wholeheartedly support the application of Australian content rules to all Content Service Enterprises – be it through an expenditure requirement or content fund. However, it is critical that the expenditure requirement percentage be set at a level that ensures higher levels of Australian content.” said Equity director, Simon Whipp.

The 2010-2011 Alliance Annual Report is now available for download here.