Australia\u2019s government has unveiled new copyright reforms this week, specifically involving circumstances in which the copyright owner is unknown or unlocatable \u2013 \u2018orphan works\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Expanding on the contents of the Copyright Act 1986, the Copyright Amendment Bill allows Australians new access to \u201corphaned\u201d creative, historical and educational materials, some of which have been previously held indefinitely in the archives of cultural institutions across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The law makes them available for public use and viewing, alongside new protocol and protections for copyright owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
The measure further enables anyone to come forward with a copyright claim, if they recognise their work among any unidentified materials. At the price of $30 per student per year, it also allows educators to use unknown works for teaching purposes, including in both classroom and online settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A joint statement<\/a> by Ampal, APRA Amcos, ARIA PPCA, the Australian Publishers Association, Australian Society of Authors, Australian Writers\u2019 Guild, AWG Authorship Collecting Society, Copyright Agency, and the National Association for the Visual Arts and Screenrights welcomed the news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBoth reforms have the support of creator groups [and] were the product of years of careful consultation and passed as intended,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n However, alongside their backing of the bill, the group voiced concerns and calls for action surrounding continued unregulated use of creative works by AI companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCreator groups remain alert to the broader campaign now underway,\u201d they warned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe same lobby that sought amendments to this Bill has also argued, in submissions to the Senate Adopting AI inquiry, that Australia\u2019s copyright framework is a barrier to AI development and should be weakened accordingly, in perfect step with the position of multinational technology companies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n The Australian Government has reiterated many times that Australian AI development using other people\u2019s content must be done in compliance with Australia\u2019s current laws,\u201d they continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat must be the case for so-called \u2018non-commercial\u2019 development and activities, as well as commercial. An exception would deny that payment to creators entirely.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve also covered the Copyright Act 1968<\/a> in the context of Australian artists\u2019 authority to keep their music out of political campaigns through a \u201cmoral right of integrity\u201d argument.<\/p>\n