An equality quota has been suggested by the Australian Directors’ Guild, in order to improve the lack of diversity within the country’s domestic film and TV industry.

The proposed ratio would see 50% of funding from Screen Australia given to projects directed by women. It would follow a similar ruling in Sweden, where a quota has resulted in an increase in jobs for women over the last two years.

“Current funding is not being shared in a representative way,” said guild president Ray Argall in a statement. “The ADG is concerned with diversity of all types, but is particularly concerned with the dramatic lack of equity in the funding of women and, in particular, female directors.”

Data from the guild showed that between between 2009 and 2014, women only accounted for 15% of all film directors in Australia and 28% of protagonists.

“Equally talented young women film-makers are graduating from film schools in the same numbers as men, and winning short film awards, but they are not getting the breaks as film directors,” said Argall. “It doesn’t even make commercial sense, given that women are more than 50% of the audience.”

Successful female Australian directors include Gillian Armstrong and Jocelyn Moorhouse, whose latest film The Dressmaker stars Kate Winslet and Liam Hemsworth.