<P> Australian literature grew slowly in the decades following European settlement though Indigenous oral traditions, many of which have since been recorded in writing, are much older . 19th - century writers such as Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson captured the experience of the bush using a distinctive Australian vocabulary . Their works are still popular; Paterson's bush poem "Waltzing Matilda" (1895) is regarded as Australia's unofficial national anthem . Miles Franklin is the namesake of Australia's most prestigious literary prize, awarded annually to the best novel about Australian life . Its first recipient, Patrick White, went on to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1973 . Australian winners of the Booker Prize include Peter Carey, Thomas Keneally and Richard Flanagan . Author David Malouf, playwright David Williamson and poet Les Murray are also renowned literary figures . </P> <P> Many of Australia's performing arts companies receive funding through the federal government's Australia Council . There is a symphony orchestra in each state, and a national opera company, Opera Australia, well known for its famous soprano Joan Sutherland . At the beginning of the 20th century, Nellie Melba was one of the world's leading opera singers . Ballet and dance are represented by The Australian Ballet and various state companies . Each state has a publicly funded theatre company . </P> <P> The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906), the world's first feature length film, spurred a boom in Australian cinema during the silent film era . After World War I, Hollywood monopolised the industry, and by the 1960s Australian film production had effectively ceased . With the benefit of government support, the Australian New Wave of the 1970s brought provocative and successful films, many exploring themes of national identity, such as Wake in Fright and Gallipoli, while "Crocodile" Dundee and the Ozploitation movement's Mad Max series became international blockbusters . In a film market flooded with foreign content, Australian films delivered a 7.7% share of the local box office in 2015 . The AACTAs are Australia's premier film and television awards, and notable Academy Award winners from Australia include Geoffrey Rush, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett and Heath Ledger . </P> <P> Australia has two public broadcasters (the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the multicultural Special Broadcasting Service), three commercial television networks, several pay - TV services, and numerous public, non-profit television and radio stations . Each major city has at least one daily newspaper, and there are two national daily newspapers, The Australian and The Australian Financial Review . In 2010, Reporters Without Borders placed Australia 18th on a list of 178 countries ranked by press freedom, behind New Zealand (8th) but ahead of the United Kingdom (19th) and United States (20th). This relatively low ranking is primarily because of the limited diversity of commercial media ownership in Australia; most print media are under the control of News Corporation and Fairfax Media . </P>

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