Save Australian literature!
HEY GUYS! I don’t often post about serious things because well, serious things aren’t very fun but this a serious thing that brings me fun (a.k.a books) so I’m going to address it and I hope you can help!
SHORT VERSION: The government sucks and wants to harm Australian authors and publishers by removing PIRs (Parallel Importation Rules). Help stop this by signing this petition (https://www.change.org/p/scott-morrison-save-australian-literature-stop-parallel-importation-of-books) and talking about it!
LONG VERSION: In Australia the Australian Federal Government is looking to change existing copyright laws in a way that will do huge damage to the Australian book industry, particularly to creators and publishers. They want to remove Parallel Importation Rules (PIRs) that currently exist to protect Australian territorial copyright. These rules were put in place to ensure that if an Australian publisher holds the rights to a book – whether from a local or overseas author – then they have the exclusive ability to publish that title in Australia.
I’m guilty of buying books internationally because a) it’s cheaper and b) when bookstores don’t have it in stock i’m an impatient little book dragon so I do that. In my defence, when I have money i spend it at bookstores and the amount times I go into one empty handed and come out with my arms full kinda makes me proud. Anyway, I’m getting side tracked.
So Australian authors have royalties at the moment that allow them to get paid enough money to still live (Although, it’s nothing huge in the first place.) but with the new law, books will be much cheaper and authors will be getting paid considerably less. Anyway, The Federal Government hopes that removing PIRs will mean cheaper books for readers, but they have little evidence to suggest the move will actually result in market-wide lower prices. However, it will have a huge impact in reducing the size of the Australian publishing industry, and thus the number of books published in Australia.
But the WORST PART? They want to limit copyright ownership to just fifteen years. Unsure what that means? IT MEANS THAT THE BOOK AN AUTHOR HAS WROTE ISN’T THEIRS ANYMORE AFTER FIFTEEN YEARS. Anyone can steal, use, rewrite that story and the author doesn’t get a single penny.
Anyway please help because even though books might cost a little more (or remain the same price) you’re helping out Aussie publishers and authors. Want to help? Sign this petition here: https://www.change.org/p/scott-morrison-save-australian-literature-stop-parallel-importation-of-books
BETTER VERSION: Basically, Jay Kristoff wrote about this and did a much better job than me (I also stole some of his paragraphs because they’re better) but read it here: https://jaykristoff.com/2016/05/31/australian-readers-take-note/
Plus I’ll love you for all eternity. So that’s good too.
2087
blakekathryn
ellievsbear
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