Concerns of copyright users heard by House Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts

Canberra, Australia – The Australian Digital Alliance welcomes the release of the ‘Sculpting a National Cultural Plan: Igniting a post-COVID economy for the arts’ report which recommends the establishment of a national cultural plan. 

The ADA supports the development of a national cultural plan that recognises the importance of a modern copyright system for the development of Australia’s creative and cultural industries. 

In a submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts’ inquiry into Australia’s creative and cultural industries and practices, the ADA highlighted the difficulties faced by users and creators during the COVID-19 pandemic as a direct result of outdated and inflexible copyright laws. The ADA also called on the Committee to support the Copyright Access Reforms announced by Minister Fletcher in August 2020. 

“It is encouraging to see a discussion around the importance of flexible copyright exceptions in the Committee’s report”, said ADA Chair Derek Whitehead. “The inclusion of copyright demonstrates that the concerns raised by copyright users and creators have been heard. We look forward to continuing to work with the Committee to ensure that copyright is not an afterthought in the development of Australia’s cultural and creative policies”. 

The experience of COVID-19 has shown that Australia’s copyright system is ill-equipped to deal with rapid shifts in how art and culture are created and delivered. A flexible, future-proofed copyright system will address these shortfalls by protecting the rights of both creators and users to access material in an increasingly digital world. 

In February, the ADA appeared before the Committee alongside the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and the Australian Society of Authors (ASA).