[x-pubpol] NZ - Fair Deal coalition draws attention to copyright changes under the Trans Pacific Partnership

[Jordan Carter]

FYI all,
Jordan

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Campbell Gardiner <campbell at internetnz.net.nz>
Date: 11 July 2012 09:17
Subject: [INZ Media Release] Media Release: Fair Deal coalition draws
attention to copyright changes under the Trans Pacific Partnership
To: mediarelease at mailman.internetnz.net.nz


*Fair Deal coalition draws attention to copyright changes under the Trans
Pacific Partnership*

Media Release - 11 July 2012

*This release is available online at http://tinyurl.com/7zaocl5*

Today, a coalition of New Zealand organisations concerned about changes to
New Zealand’s copyright law under the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) will
gather to launch the Fair Deal cause. Fairdeal.net.nz is a place for New
Zealanders to go to learn more about what’s at stake for New Zealand
copyright law under the TPP.

Under the TPP, the United States has proposed that New Zealand change its
copyright law in several ways. Changes being considered include lengthening
copyright monopolies by 20 to 70 years, making parallel imports illegal,
placing onerous legal obligations on Internet Service Providers and
increasing civil and criminal liability for copyright infringement. The
common thread that draws Fair Deal coalition members together is opposition
to these and other copyright changes.

Fair Deal members stand in strong support of the New Zealand copyright
negotiators, who, according to a leaked negotiation document, have sought
to work within existing legal frameworks in the TPP instead of creating
overbearing new ones.

Fair Deal members include InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc), NZRise,
the Creative Freedom Foundation, Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind,
TUANZ and Consumer. All organisations agree that a Fair Deal is one that
opens up new trading opportunities for New Zealand without forcing the
government to make copyright changes that could damage the economy, chill
innovation, further restrict access to content and raise prices of
copyright works in New Zealand. Each organisation has certain copyright
issues that it is concerned about, highlighting the breadth of the impact
that the TPP copyright provisions could have on many sectors across New
Zealand.

“All we’re asking for is a Fair Deal,” says InternetNZ Policy Lead Susan
Chalmers. “Because the TPP is negotiated in secret, and because trade
agreements are not typically at the forefront of our minds, we have this
problem of New Zealanders not seeing what is coming – not knowing what
changes the TPP will bring to their everyday lives.

“The content industries are at it again – asking more from New Zealand
copyright law, wanting to segment this market as much as possible from the
rest of the world, despite the fact that we’re just a click away on the
Internet. We don’t think that what they’re asking for is fair or
reasonable, and we want the public to know about it and have a discussion
about the proposed changes before the deal is done and it’s too late to say
anything,” she says.

The Fair Deal launch, hosted by Russell Brown of Public Address, will take
place on the margins of NetHui, a three-day conference on Internet-related
issues. The one-hour event begins at 6.30pm at the Sky City Convention
Centre, New Zealand Room 3. Those unable to attend can find a live stream
by visiting http://nethui.org.nz/videos.

The launch will feature a brief panel discussion with Don Christie from
NZRise, Neil Jarvis from Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind, and
Susan Chalmers from InternetNZ. An audience discussion session will follow.

The Fair Deal launch is open to the public. NetHui registration is not
required, though RSVPs are encouraged. Please send them to
rsvp at internetnz.net.nz

For more information contact:

Susan Chalmers
Policy Lead
InternetNZ
021 284 7065
susan at internetnz.net.nz

*About InternetNZ
*InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc) is the non-profit, open membership
organisation dedicated to protecting and promoting the Internet in New
Zealand and fostering a coordinated, cooperative approach to its ongoing
development.

www.internetnz.net.nz


--
Campbell Gardiner
Communications Lead, Internet New Zealand
Secretariat, New Zealand IPv6 Task Force

Web: www.internetnz.net.nz & www.ipv6.org.nz
Email: campbell at internetnz.net.nz
DDI: + 64 4 495 2332
Mobile: + 64 21 506 004
Address: Level 9, Grand Arcade Tower, 16 Willis Street, Wellington 6011



-- 
Jordan Carter

Policy Advisor
*InternetNZ*

04 495 2118 (office) | +64 21 442 649 (mob)
jordan at internetnz.net.nz
Skype: jordancarter

To protect and promote the Internet for New Zealand.
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