Last Updated: 27 February 2006
Australian copyright legislation
The Australian Constitution gives the Federal Government authority to legislate in respect of copyright. Australia’s copyright law is contained in the Copyright Act 1968. Whilst the current Act has been amended numerous times, two notable amendments were made by the Copyright Amendment (Digital Agenda) Act 2000 and the US Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act 2004.
The Digital Agenda amendments
- Digital Agenda Review Report, 2004.
- EFA submission to the review of the “Digital Agenda” amendments to the Copyright Act, 30 September 2003.
- Advisory Report on the Copyright Amendment (Digital Agenda) Bill 1999, House of Representatives Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, 6 Dec 1999. See also: Public Submissions to the Committee’s Inquiry.
- EFA submission in response to the Federal Government’s Discussion Paper Copyright Reform and the Digital Agenda, August 1997.
Cracking down on copycats: enforcement of copyright in Australia, Report of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, 4 Dec 2000. See also: Public Submissions to the Committee’s Inquiry.
Administration of the Copyright Act 1968 is shared between the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts and the Attorney-General’s Department.
