Copyright and Fair Use Proposed Changes
In Australia.
What a croc! Really? How can any politician (rude words and bloody hell, Joe) say that creative people don’t do it for the money? Politicians say the same thing about what they do – does it stop them from accepting their public-paid pensions? Maybe we should stop paying them when they’ve finished with their public service (or after five years)? And maybe I don’t even mean after they get out of politics – how about from when they first drafted their important statements – put on paper the things that got them into the job? Signed the documents – we’ll start from there, shall we?
Is it a fact that these works are ‘irrelevant’ or ‘out of date’ based on specified time-frames? If it is a fact, where is the evidence? Where is the rule of ‘reasonable’ expectations? (that’s a legal term, you know). Where are the real words being said about how this proposal is stealing my potential income, my right to earn money from my hours and years and decades of work?
Now let me be angry – I am one of two people who live on a very small income; too low to be eligible to pay tax, but I must be happy with this because that’s what this proposed change is all about. My money. My assets. My legacy. My inability to buy more than absolutely necessary (no restaurant dinners for me, not even a pub lunch).
Do it right. Split the issue and put up one item for each considered change. Make it a little easier for people to see what you’re really up to. For crying out loud, if I wrote something with 601 pages (the proposed document), no one would even consider reading it unless it was compelling, active, and a known sage element.
The one document covers proposed changes to:
The IP System (as a whole construct – so look at it as a construct, not a definition – what is the difference between a patent and a copyright? And why does it not matter in this discussion?);
Commercialisation, markets, international obligations (not stated what obligations, but let me ask: where does the international market get reminded of its ‘rights’ to pay the Australian authors who have no choice but to sell using these markets?);
accountability (+ one more, but you read it for yourself, please). the report
No. Speak up. Shout. Yell. If it’s not done right, so many people suffer – that’s 6% of the GDP here – and will be more likely to give up and do what the instigator did – go on a bloody pension and live off the government (because we don’t have super, do we? Don’t earn enough!).
I will not go down without a fight. My work is my life, but it is work, and I deserve to be paid for it – and my descendants should be able to accept my gift (or the charities, or . . . whoever I choose to pass it to), just as a politician does with their assets.
My house is my own, and I can pass it on for an exchange of whatever it is that gives it value to both myself and the willing purchaser.
If the government wants to look at the issue of Fair Use – be specific. Fair Use of what? Is it only the things that other international governments tell us we should respect because their citizens are missing out?
Do I think Australians pay too much for things they buy on the international market? You bet! Why does it happen? Because we are a little country, a small market, and our government doesn’t have the (you know what) to stand up to the mega-companies and tell them how to play ball with out rights.
We, the creators, are happy to play fair, happy for people all over the world to buy our work at the same level of incentive as in Australia – but I want the same in return!
Become an international market – set the rules for the international market to do business here. Make it fair to the creators, not the multinational rulers.
Make amendments as if you are the ‘business’ (creator) and you are being ripped off by everyone, including your own government!
Fair Use, indeed. Call it what it is: Theft of Creativity.
Footnote: My anger has created these words, and they don’t spell out half of what I mean, but please feel free to make your own words more powerful, and send them to someone who can do something about it – PLEASE!
