Education and cultural sectors urgently require copyright reform

Thursday 12 August 2021
For immediate release 

Canberra – It has been one year since the Federal Government announced that it would introduce copyright reforms designed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and better support schools, universities and cultural institutions in providing access to copyright material in an increasingly digital environment. 

Twelve months later these long overdue reforms are yet to be enacted. They are now urgently required.  

As the Government stated when announcing the reforms: “While these issues are not new, the need for change has been highlighted during COVID-19, with schools, universities, cultural institutions and governments having to deliver essential services online.” With lockdowns continuing to cause the unexpected and snap closure of schools and cultural institutions across the country, copyright reform continues to be urgently required. 

The Australian Digital Alliance (ADA) supports the introduction of these reforms which will help schools, universities and cultural institutions to provide their vital services throughout periods of lockdown. 

Since the reforms were announced last year, the ADA has worked with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications to ensure that the proposed reforms will enable users to access copyright material online throughout the pandemic and beyond, whilst ensuring that the interests of authors, artists, illustrators and creators are protected. 

“The Government’s proposed reforms will go a long way to addressing many of the current challenges that copyright users face when accessing materials online”, said Executive Officer Ben Rice. “We are urging the Government to introduce these reforms in order to clarify the legality of delivering services such as remote learning or online access to library collections”.  

“The proposed reforms are narrow, purpose-based and include strong protections for creators, which is exactly what rights owners have been calling for”. 

With parliament only sitting for another six weeks this year, the ADA is throwing its full support behind the Government to pass these critical reforms before the end of the year. 

ENDS