Yes, Australia's new Minister for Communications, Broadband and the Digital Economy is Senator Stephen Conroy. The same Senator Conroy that promised Labor would assemble a committee to discuss the potential for a 40% tax rebate for Oz game developers. A rebate the film and television industry already enjoys.

This exciting bit of news was announced yesterday, and the Game Developers' Association of Australia (GDAA) couldn't be happier.

Said GDAA CEO Greg Bondar:

“The GDAA now looks forward to working with Senator Conroy to progress the establishment of a high level committee to review the GDAA’s call for a 40% tax rebate for the games industry”

Full GDAA press release after the jump.

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Finally, some uplifting news on the Australian game developer rebate front. Out of a recent meeting this morning between GDAA CEO Greg Bondar and deputy senate leader for the opposition Stephen Conroy, has come the promise that if Labor is elected, Conroy will "establish a high level committee to review the GDAA’s call for a 40% tax rebate for the games industry in Australia".

Okay, it's so-so news. There's no guarantee that anything will happen under a Labor Government - a committee is something you form before a war, not during. However, we know conclusively that nothing will happen if the Coalition is re-elected, and for those hunting desperately for even a foal's chance of a rebate, this is as good as it's going to get.

You can read the full release after the jump.

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