Australian Government Removes Safe Harbour Reform From Copyright Amendment Bill

The Australian government has dropped plans to extend safe harbours in its revision of the country’s copyright laws. The copyright safe harbour provisions currently in Australian legislation are defined to only protect Internet service providers. The Australian Government had proposed to have these provisions broadened to bring them in line with what is available in the US and Europe, which provide for a broader safety net for copyright infringement by a service’s users, and which are currently being examined in light of growing concern over their suitability.

However, the wider safe harbour provisions have been removed from the Copyright Amendment Bill in Australia for now.

General Manager of the Australasian Music Publishers Association (AMPAL), Matthew O’Sullivan said: “We urge the Federal Government to refer any proposed copyright safe harbour amendment to the Department of Communications and the Arts for a comprehensive review and evidence-based inquiry; and full consultation with the creative industries.”

Source:
Australasian Music Publishers Association