Parallel importation: Status quo ‘just as dangerous’ as an open market says ABA CEO
As the book industry awaits the results of continuing talks in Canberra and a final cabinet decision on the Productivity Commission's parallel importation report, the Australian Booksellers Association (ABA) has...
ASA: ‘zero days’ effectively a removal of territorial copyright
The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) has backed the Australian Publishers Association in rejecting a proposed compromise position on parallel importation. ‘We certainly support the position the publishers have taken,'...
ABA welcomes zero-day proposal; publishers still unhappy
A change to Australia's parallel importation rules reportedly proposed by Competition Minister Craig Emerson would reduce locally published international titles with print runs under 10,000 copies by between a third...
Quote of the week
'Ending parallel import restrictions won't be the end of the world for Australia's bookshops. But if they are kept in place, the internet will kill off the local bookshop more...
APA responds to ‘increasingly desperate’ Prod Comm
As reported in a WBN special bulletin last week the Productivity Commission has issued a supplement to its report on Australia's parallel importation restrictions (PIRs). The supplement is to rebut a...
Productivity Commission releases report supplement
The Productivity Commission has issued a supplement to its report on Australia's parallel importation restrictions, to rebut a recent critical study commissioned by the Australian Publishers Association (APA).The supplement can be...
Productivity Commission releases report supplement
The Productivity Commission has issued a supplement to its report on Australia's parallel importation restrictions, to rebut a recent critical study commissioned by the Australian Publishers Association (APA).The supplement can be...
Date for cabinet decision on Prod Comm report unclear
The date on which the federal cabinet will make a decision on the recent Productivity Commission recommendations to remove Australia's book parallel importation laws remains unclear, with some in the...
Prod Comm debate coverage continues
As the date of an expected cabinet decision on the future of parallel importation restrictions approaches, mainstream media coverage of the debate continues. MUP publisher Louise Adler took the opportunity...
Cabinet split on PC report
The cabinet response to the Productivity Commission's recommendation that Australia remove parallel import restrictions on books may come sooner than originally anticipated, with some indications cabinet may decide on the issue...
MWF: parallel import debate
As reported in a WBN Special Bulletin last Friday, the Melbourne Writers Festival (MWF) added to its line-up a special debate on the Productivity Commission report and on the pros...
MWF: debate on PC report and parallel importation
The Melbourne Writers Festival has added a special extra event to this year's line-up, a debate on the Productivity Commission's report and on the arguments for and against removing restrictions...
MWF: debate on PC report and parallel importation
The Melbourne Writers Festival has added a special extra event to this year's line-up, a debate on the Productivity Commission's report and on the arguments for and against removing restrictions...
ALP working group to consider Prod Comm report
As reported in a WBN special bulletin on Thursday, the Australian Labor Party (ALP) will establish a working group to 'consider the matters raised in the Productivity Commission's report' on...
PC report: the horror (and the romance)
Members of the Australian Horror Writers Association (AHWA) and Romance Writers of Australia (RWA) have joined in protest against the Productivity Commission's recommendation to remove parallel import restrictions (PIRs). Shane...
Government working group to consider Prod Comm report
The federal government will establish a working group to 'consider the matters raised in the Productivity Commission's report' on the parallel importation of books. A motion put by Lorraine Cassin (AMWU) and seconded by Mark...
Government working group to consider Prod Comm report
The Australian Labor Party (ALP) will establish a working group to 'consider the matters raised in the Productivity Commission's report' on the parallel importation of books.A motion put at the...
Quote of the week
‘Further, the expansion of the books production industries over recent decades has attracted and held productive resources, notably skilled labour and capital, that have thereby been unavailable for use in...
Prod Comm: Educational publishers and booksellers reject recommendations
Several educational publishers and campus booksellers have united in opposition to the Productivity Commission's recommendations on parallel importation restrictions (PIRs). ‘It is certainly disappointing that the [Commission] doesn't understand that...
Quote of the week
'What does the recommendation to review subsidies "with a view to better targeting of cultural externalities" mean. Anyone?'--Meanjin twitter feed, approximately 4.30pm yesterday.