The Copyright (Disabilities and Other Measures) Act was passed on 15 June 2017.
The Act implements a number of amendments supported by both creators and users of copyright content. Most amendments will come into effect in December 2017. The amendments regarding unpublished works will come into effect in January 2019.
The amendments will:
- simplify the statutory licences for education
- extend the exception for exams to online exams
- simplify and update the provisions that enable libraries and other collecting institutions to make ‘preservation copies’ of material in their collections such as manuscripts
- introduce a fixed term of protection for unpublished works that are currently covered by copyright indefinitely
- simplify and update the provisions that allow the making of accessible format versions for people with disabilities
More:
- Copyright Agency information sheet
- Australian Copyright Council information sheet
- media release from Minister for Communications and the Arts
- joint statement by Screenrights, Copyright Agency and Universities Australia on introduction of Bill
- Copyright Agency statement
- Australian Copyright Council statement
- Australian Libraries and Information Association media release
- Universities Australia media release
- Vision Australia media release
15 June 2017
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