Copyright is the bedrock of modern publishing and many related creative industries.
Contemporary legislation around the recognition and protection of intellectual property remains our most vital means of providing incentives to content creators. Copyright helps protect work from unfair exploitation, and to facilitate access to published materials.
The APA collaborates with the Copyright Agency, Australian Copyright Council and other industry and creator organisations to advocate for modern, fair, and workable copyright legislation in both national and supranational settings. These regimes are essential to allow publishers to create, promote and sell their books, journals and educational resources.
Current law and legislation review
The Australian Copyright Act and associated legislation are currently under review. The APA and its members are concerned about efforts among some education and “copyleft” lobbyists to broaden the exceptions to the copyright laws. We are also concerned about the threat of international book stock coming into the Australian market, and the way new digital platforms provide free access to creative works.
The APA supports and actively asserts the underlying principles of copyright – namely that creators have the rights to control their work, have their work recognised, and to exploit those rights through licencing and sale.