AUSTRALIAN ARTISTS, MUSICIANS, PERFORMERS, FILMMAKERS, EDUCATORS AND WRITERS, ALONG WITH SUPPORTERS OF AUSTRALIAN CREATIVE CONTENT OPPOSE THE PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION’S RECOMMENDATIONS ON COPYRIGHT IN AUSTRALIA

We, the undersigned, unanimously reject the Productivity Commission’s recommendations on copyright in Australia. These far-reaching recommendations to undermine copyright protections will harm the ability of local film and television makers, writers, artists, musicians, educators and journalists to tell Australian stories, teach our young and make a living.

Creators have a right to receive fair payment for their work. The changes to Australian copyright laws being pushed by the Productivity Commission, large organisations and big technology companies will greatly diminish these protections and make it easier for large organisations to use Australian content without fair payment to creators. This is not just unfair, it is a threat to the future of Australian stories and means it will be even harder to make a living for the next generation of artists and creators.

Our kids should be able to grow up inspired by musicians like Jessica Mauboy and Jimmy Barnes, artists like Tracey Moffatt and Brett Whiteley, movies like Mad Max and Lion, TV shows like Home and Away and Offspring, books like Possum Magic and The Book Thief and learning from Australian resources like Mathletics and Reading Eggs.

It’s not just Australian stories that could be affected, cultural production is an economic driver and facilitator of innovation. However, the Productivity Commission report takes a hostile approach towards Australian content rooted in an ignorance about the ecosystem that enables cultural production, and what is necessary to encourage and support Australian creativity.

We call on the Australian Government and parliament to rule out these proposed changes.