Fed: Labor promises to restrict book, CD, software imports

AAP General News (Australia)
08-24-2000
Fed: Labor promises to restrict book, CD, software imports

By Krista Hughes

CANBERRA, Aug 24 AAP - Labor today promised to tighten copyright laws to restrict imports
of books, CDs, computer software and video games if it wins the next election.

Opposition arts spokesman Duncan Kerr said Labor would scrap the government's open
slather policy which is already in place for CD imports and is proposed for books, software
and video games.

Labor would extend the "use it or lose it" regime in place for book copyright owners,
which allows imports if a product is not released locally within 30 days of publication
or overseas release.

Overseas goods could also be imported if a product was not available in Australia,
or available at a competitive price, within 90 days of it being ordered.

Mr Kerr said CD prices had not fallen since the government lifted import restrictions
two years ago and warned plans to do the same for books, software and video games would
harm local industries.

"The government's latest announcement will result in an increase in pirated video games
and computer software flowing into Australia," Mr Kerr said at the policy launch at Sydney's
Museum of Contemporary Art.

"Complete removal of parallel importation restrictions may lead to a minimal price
reduction for some goods (but) it will lead to an increase in piracy ... and a reduction
in investment in Australian content."

Software distributors, unions and printers welcomed the "use it or lose it" approach,
the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union saying it would save 400 jobs in the paper
and book printing industries.

But a national competition policy review of copyright laws said import restrictions
led to higher prices for consumers and industry and should be scrapped, with a 12-month
changeover period for books.

"The committee does not believe that the gains to Australia from these restrictions
outweigh their costs," the report to the government said.

"Removing the restrictions is unlikely to materially alter the availability of copyrighted
material.

"However, by ensuring that prices ... are not set higher than overseas, it will benefit
consumers and industries that rely on this material as an input."

Arts Minister Richard Alston said currency fluctuations may have masked some falls
in CD prices under the new regime but accused Labor of caving in to special interest groups
at the expense of shoppers.

"(Opposition leader Kim Beazley) is interested in perpetuating monopoly cartels ...

he's not interested in getting the best deals for consumers and we won't have a bar of
this approach," Senator Alston said.

AAP kmh/daw/jnb

KEYWORD: COPYRIGHT

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