[NZOSS-Openchat] Copyright forum in Auckland 8 July (fwd)

[Mark Foster]

Unfortunately i'm a Wellingtonian, but Aucklanders and others from the 
region  may be interested in attending this....

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:55:22 +1200
From: Clare Curran <Clare.Curran at parliament.govt.nz>
Subject: Copyright forum in Auckland 8 July

> ______________________________________________
> From: 	Clare Curran
> Sent:	Sunday, 28 June 2009 4:33 p.m.
> Cc:	Grant Robertson; Lianne Dalziel - Private; Trevor Mallard;
> Maryan Street; David Cunliffe
> Subject:	Copyright forum in Auckland 8 July
>
> You are invited: Please RSVP by email (apologies if you get this more
> than once)
>
> It's taken a while to get it organised but Labour will hold another
> copyright forum, this time in Auckland on 8 July and you are invited
> (and anyone else you think might be interested).
>
> Labour organised a forum in late March in Wellington and invited
> representatives from the rights holders, ISP, internet users and other
> associated interested persons. That meeting was attended by about 30
> people, including six Labour MPs (myself, Grant Robertson, Lianne
> Dalziel, Trevor Mallard, David Cunliffe and Maryan Street). Out of
> that meeting came a series of themes (summarised below) and issues
> that needed further discussion. Because of the number of people who
> wanted to attend but couldn't (because they either lived in Auckland
> or just simply couldn't make it) I said we'd have another discussion
> soon.
>
> The forum will be held at:
> Freemans Bay Community Hall
> Function room
> 52 Hepburn Street, Freemans Bay
> 6pm - 8pm
> Wednesday 8 July
>
> If you can make it, that would be great. Please feel free to pass this
> invite on to anyone you think would make a constructive contribution.
>
> The objective is to canvas the wider issues around copyright,
> including discussion of what's been occurring overseas, in France, the
> UK and Sweden. Lessons to be learnt and ideas for how to develop a
> wide-ranging copyright policy that embraces the digital age,
> protecting rights holders, not disadvantaging ISPs going about their
> business, promoting access to information and building public interest
> around why copyright is important.
>
>
> Background (this is the text of a recent blog I wrote at Red Alert
> http://tiny.cc/icEH4 )
>
> It's been a couple of months since I've said anything about copyright.
> It's time I did, as it appears the National Government is taking a
> blinkered and possibly quick fix approach to this important but vexed
> issue.
>
> You might remember there was a lot of agitation earlier this year
> around the introduction of Section 92A of the Copyright Act, which
> would have required internet service providers (ISPs) to terminate the
> accounts of repeat copyright infringers "in reasonable circumstances."
> The Government scrapped it in March and said it would "work on a
> replacement section".
>
> I had a lot to say at the time, but have been quiet since because I've
> been waiting to see what process the government would put in place to
> get things moving to hopefully come up with a working solution.
>
> I don't want to pre-empt that process. But to be frank it doesn't look
> promising. This is a critical issue and government needs to pay
> attention and get it right. It's not going to make the front page
> (unless there's a major internet blackout being threatened). But it's
> extremely important that government shows balance and vision. Labour
> gets that. It took us a while, but we get it and we're committed to a
> sound policy that will take this country forward...... you can be part
> of that if you're interested...
>
> A quick history:
> Section 92A was introduced under the previous Labour Govt late last
> year but wasn't due to come into effect until the end of February
> 2009.
>
> A build up of consternation amongst internet users and ISPs and
> associated others over the summer got my attention and the Labour
> Party realised that the law's requirement for the stakeholders to
> develop, let alone put in place, a workable code of practice to
> terminate internet accounts on the basis of alleged copyright
> infringements had some serious flaws.
>
> Labour concluded the whole copyright issue needed to be looked at more
> widely. We took account of the debate raging in New Zealand and
> elsewhere and started to bring together stakeholders to get a
> discussion happening about a better way to approach the issue. We
> prodded the government to pay attention and "do something" about the
> issue, which they eventually did by deciding to review Section 92A.
> But it looks as though they wont go far enough.
>
> Themes
> We believe that there are some core principles that underpin a
> copyright policy:  The rights of creators to control their own work;
> the right to access information and for people to be encouraged to
> seek information; the importance of encouraging and enabling
> innovation, fair process and fair use.
>
> Issues
> We also believe that there are some critical issues that need
> addressing. The urgent need to educate the public about copyright
> (there is a general lack of awareness, especially among younger
> people); for rights holders to have the ability to enforce their
> rights, and a fair process to do it (eg independent tribunal). The
> need for new business models to protect copyright in the digital era
> (existing models such as record  and film companies aren't working);
> The issue of whether a termination policy is an effective remedy for
> copyright infringement, or whether other remedies such as financial
> penalties should be considered, how to ensure equal access by internet
> users to the information they want and need. How to ensure rights
> holders can continue to create content ........ the list goes on...
>
> I'm not convinced the National Govt's proposal to merely re-draft
> Section 92A takes all these things into account which could severely
> hamper the ability of its working party to come up with anything
> workable.
>
> We welcome the fact that the government has finally announced a
> "process" but we're worried it's a quick fix. That's why Labour will
> continue a separate process to engage with stakeholders and attempt to
> find a way forward that addresses those fundamental principles and the
> issues outlined above. I'll be coordinating another forum in Auckland
> in a few weeks. If you're interested in participating, let me know.
> You can email me: clare.curran at parliament.govt.nz
>
>
> Clare Curran
> MP Dunedin South
> Labour Spokesperson on Communications and IT
>
> 021 2421813
> 04 817 9906
>
> Parliament Buildings
> Wellington
>
>
>