The producers of ABC1 drama The Slap have succeeded in shutting down a Netherlands-based piracy website that over 40,000 Australian and New Zealand expats used to illegally watch local shows.

The site, diwana.org, is run by an Australian expat who started the site over five years ago and is popular with expats and others based overseas who are looking to access Australia and New Zealand TV content, which is often difficult to access internationally.

Contentious ... Anthony Hayes, Jonathan LaPaglia and Alex Dimitriades star in a new TV series based on the novel The Slap, by Christos Tsiolkas. Credit:Jason South

Due for a DVD release next month, The Slap is an eight-part television series that is based on the book of the same name by Australian author Christos Tsiolkas. The plot stems from a Melbourne suburban barbecue during which a man slaps a three-year-old boy across the face.

It is understood the producers of The Slap, Matchbox Pictures - which last night was named Screen Producers Association of Australia producer of the year - contacted the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT), who then referred the matter to Dutch anti-piracy body BREIN, which acts on behalf of rightsholders.