RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/Q/AUS/1/Add.1
26August 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-3482)
Original: English Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
REVIEW OFLEGISLATION ONCOPYRIGHT AND RELATED RIGHTS
Australia
Addendum
Bymeans ofacommunication fromthePermanent Mission ofAustralia, dated 14July1997,
theSecretariat hasreceived thefollowing responses tothequestions thatBrazil hadputtoAustralia
inthecontext ofthefollow-up tothereview oflegislation oncopyright andrelated rights attheCouncil 's
meeting of22to25July1996.
_______________
REPLIES TOQUESTIONS POSED BYBRAZIL
1. (a) What aretheprerequisites fortheprotection ofawork, performance, phonogram and
broadcasting bycopyright andrelated rights under eachcategory ofsubject matter?
(b) Does protection extend tothetitleofthework?
(c) Isthere aspecial requisite forphotographic works orworks ofapplied art?
(a) Prerequisites forprotection ofworks andother subject matter
(i) Theonlyrequirements forthecopyright protection ofworks (literary, dramatic, musical
andartistic) andothersubject matter (sound recordings, films, broadcasts andpublished
editions) bytheCopyright Act1968 (theAct)arethat:
(a) thematerial inquestion canbecharacterized asfalling intooneoftheabove
mentioned categories ofmaterial inwhich copyright cansubsist (seess.32,
89,90,91);
(b) inthecaseofawork, itisoriginal (sees.32);
(c) inthecaseofawork, theauthor hasaconnection withAustralia (oranother
specified country) (seess.32,184);
(d) inthecaseoftheother material referred to,there istherequired connection
withAustralia (oranother specified country) (seess.89,90,91,184).
There arenoother prerequisites forcopyright protection inAustralia.IP/Q/AUS/1/Add.1
Page2
(ii) Theconnecting factors referred toin(c)above areAustralian nationality orresidence,
orplace ofincorporation, ofthecopyright creator, orfirstpublication inAustralia.
These factors, onlyoneofwhich needs tobesatisfied toattract protection, vary
according towhether thematerial ispublished orunpublished. Forworks andfilms
pre-dating May1969 (thedateofthecommencement oftheCopyright Act1968)
protection isalsogranted toBritish citizens andthere aresome other special features
related totheprotection available under theCopyright Act1911. Thisanswer concerns
thelawasitapplies tocopyright works andmaterial made orpublished after
1May1969.
(iii) Inrelation tosound recordings andfilms theconnecting factor iswhether themaker
wasanAustralian citizen orresident orthesound recording orfilmwasmade orfirst
published inAustria (ss.89,90).
(iv) Theconnecting factors forbroadcasts arethatthebroadcast wasmade from aplace
inAustralia bynamed broadcasters orbypersons holding appropriate licences
(sees.91).
(v) Persons thatareresident inorcorporations ofornationals oftheMember countries
ofthevarious conventions ofwhich Australia isaparty, including theTRIPS
Agreement, areassimilated toAustralians andthepublication, broadcast etc.inone
ofthenamed countries aregranted protection asifthepublication orbroadcast had
beeninAustralia (sees.184oftheCopyright ActandtheCopyright (International
Protection) Regulations.
Prerequisites forprotection ofperformances
(vi) Thestarting point forperformers 'protection liesinSection 248J(1). Thisprovides
thataperformer maybring anaction foranunauthorized useofhisorherperformance.
Once aperformer hasconsented totheinitial recording ofaperformance these rights
are(with oneexception) exhausted andassuchtheperformer hasnorighttocontrol
thesubsequent usesofthatrecording.
(vii) Inorder foraperformer tobeabletobring asuccessful action, theymustbeableto
show that:
(a) there isa"performance";
(b) theperformance "qualifies" forprotection;
(c) there hasbeenan"unauthorized use"oftheperformance;
(d) theunauthorized useoccurred during the"protection period".
(viii) Indealing withprerequisites forprotection, items (a)and(b)aretherelevant matters.
Performance means (s.248A):
(a) aperformance (including animprovisation) ofadramatic work, orpartofsuch
awork, including suchaperformance given withtheuseofpuppets;
(b) aperformance (including animprovisation) ofamusical work orpartofsuch
awork;IP/Q/AUS/1/Add.1
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(c) thereading, recitation ordelivery ofaliterary work, orpartofsuchawork,
ortherecitation ordelivery ofanimprovised literary work;
(d) aperformance ofadance; or
(e) aperformance ofacircus actoravariety actoranysimilar presentation or
show; being aliveperformance given inAustralia orbyoneormore qualified
persons, whether inthepresence ofanaudience orotherwise.
Section 248A(2) excludes certain activities from being performances, e.g.sport,
newsreading.
(ix) Inother words, allperformances (asdefined) inAustralia areprotected andallother
performances areprotected ifgiven byoneormore qualified persons. "Qualified
person" isdefined ins.248A asmeaning anAustralian citizen, anAustralian protected
person oraperson resident inAustralia.
(x) Byauthority ofs.248U protection isextended, under theterms oftheCopyright
(International Protection) Regulations, toperformances having arelevant foreign
connection. Australia 'sanswer toquestion 1from theUSgives thedetails. The
combination ofregulations 4Aand4Bgrants TRIPS-level rights alone tonationals of
those Member countries ofTRIPS thatarenotalsoMembers oftheRome Convention.
However,nationals/citizensofRomeConventionMembercountriesaregrantednational
treatment sothattheTRIPS-plus rights aregranted alsotoperformances qualifying
forprotection under thatconvention.
(b) Titleofwork
(xi) TheActprotects literary works ins.32(1): "[L]iterary work" isdefined ins.10(1)
toinclude:
"atable, orcompilation, expressed inwords, figures orsymbols (whether ornotin
avisible form); andacomputer program orcompilation ofcomputer programs".
(xii) InAustralia protection ofliterary works extends totraditional forms ofliterature and
written materials suchasnovels, poems, screen plays, andlyrics formusical works,
andother forms ofwritten orprinted material suchasguides andother tabulated
materials, inconformity withthedefinition ofliterary works inArticle 2(1)oftheBerne
Convention.
(xiii) TheActdoesnotexpressly make reference toprotection being afforded tothetitles
ofanymaterials protected bycopyright (orindeed toanyspecific kindofwritten
materials asthedefinition above indicates).
(xiv) Whether ornotatitlewillattract copyright protection onitsowndepends onhow
substantial thetitleis.Substantiality ismeasured inbothqualitative andquantitative
terms. Forexample decisions ofthecourts intheUnited Kingdom thatthesongtitle
"The ManWhoBroke theBank atMonte Carlo" andthecompany name's"Exxon"
were tooinsubstantial tobeprotected bycopyright would probably befollowed in
Australia.IP/Q/AUS/1/Add.1
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(xv) Aside fromcopyright protection, titlesmaygainlegalprotection byother laws, such
asthose ofpassing off,trade practices, confidential information andtrade marks,
depending onthecircumstances.
(c) Photographic works andworks ofapplied art
(xvi) There arenospecial oradditional prerequisites forprotection ofphotographs beyond
those outlined atparagraph 1.1.
(xvii) Article 7(4)oftheBerne Convention, incorporated byArticle 9(1)ofTRIPS, allows
Member countries todetermine howtheywillprotect works ofapplied art.Copyright
protection isavailable inAustralia forallkinds ofworks ofapplied artbytheinclusion
intheActofprotection for"works ofartistic craftsmanship" (sees.10(1) definition
of"artistic work"), which caninclude jewellery, metal work, pottery, furniture,
glassware, etc.
(xviii) Separately,andbyregistration,designsprotectionmaybeavailablefordesignsofworks
ofapplied artwhich areintended tobeindustrially applied (seeDesigns Act1906)
Copyright protection isdenied toworks ofartistic craftsmanship thatamregistered
asdesigns butcopyright protection ofworks ofartistic craftsmanship isnotlostfor
anyother reason.
2. What aretheprerequisites fortheprotection ofadaptations, translations, andother alterations
oftheoriginal work, inparticular cinematographic works?
Prerequisites fortheprotection ofadaptations, alterations etc.ofworks
(i) Theprerequisites forprotection ofderived works (adaptations, alterations, translations),
where theyarethemselves literary, dramatic, musical orartistic works (andnotafilm,
forexample) arethesame asforworks, asdescribed above atparagraph 1.1.There
isnospecial category ofderivative works.
(ii) Itshould benoted thataderived work mustalsomeettheminimum requirement of
originality tobeeligible forcopyright protection. Insubstantial changes toanoriginal
work would notbesufficient butthelevelofchange neednotbegreat. Nostatutory
guidance isprovided. Thecourt decisions inAustralia andother comparable legal
systems emphasize thateachcasemust bejudged onitsmerits buttheoverall level
oforiginality required inAustralia islow.
(iii) While thetranslator ofawork, oranadaptor, istheowner ofcopyright inthat
translation oradaptation, ifthepermission oftheowner ofcopyright intheoriginal
work wasnotobtained thatcopyright isinfringed byexercise oftherights inthe
translation oradaptation.
Cinematographic adaptations
(iv) Acinematographic work (afilm) thatisbased onapreexisting work suchasanovel
(literary work) orascreen play(dramatic work), while protected asafilm(s.86),
isregarded areproduction ofthatunderlying work (sees.21(1) oftheAct).
(v) Asregards adaptations offilms, there isnodifferent formofprotection foracreation
resulting fromamere cutting andreordering ofcomponents ofexisting footage. AnIP/Q/AUS/1/Add.1
Page5
adaptation ofafilmthatconsisted ofcutting andreordering orre-filming orre-making
apartorparts ofthefilmwould, ifitinvolved sufficient change from theoriginal,
attract aseparate copyright asanewcinematographic creation, although itmight also
beaninfringement ofthecopyright intheoriginal film(asasubstantial reproduction)
ifdonewithout thepermission oftheowner ofcopyright intheoriginal film.
(vi) Astotranslations offilm-scripts, seeabove paragraphs 2(i)-2(iii).
3. (a) Please indicate thelegal provisions thatensure theprotection ofcomputer programs
asliterary works, according toarticle 10(1) oftheTRIPs Agreement.
(b) Does itincorporate source andobject code?
Protection ofcomputer programs
(i) TheCopyright Act1968protects computer programs byincluding computer programs
within themeaning of"literary work" ins.10(1). Thisdefinition includes within the
meaning of"literary work" acomputer program orcompilation ofcomputer programs
(seeabove paragraph 1.11forthefulltextofprovision). Thisformofprotection has
beengrantedtocomputerprogramssincethecommencementoftherelevantamendments
totheActinJune1984.
Source andobject code
(ii) Judicial interpretations, atthehighest level, ofthedefinition of"computer program"
intheAct(s.10(1)), haveconfirmed thatbothobject codeandsource codeareprotected
equally. Thecourts havedetermined thatalthough there isnoreference expressly in
theActtoobject code andsource code, thedefinition of"computer program" is
expressed widely andtheintention behind thelegislation 'schoice ofwords "inany
language, codeornotation" istocover notonlyhighlevellanguage (generally human
intelligible, e.g.source code) butalsolowlevel language (generally onlymachine
intelligible, e.g.object code) andintermediate levels ofexpression.
4. (a) Whoisconsidered tobetheauthor andrightholder oftheprotected work inrespect
toeachcategory ofsubject matter?
(b) Canalegal person beconsidered theauthor ofintellectual works? Ifso,under what
circumstances?
Works
(i) Theperson whomade awork istheauthor ofthework (s.32(1)) and,subject towhat
follows, isalsotheoriginal owner ofcopyright inthework (s.35(c)).
(ii) Subject tomodification byagreement, where aliterary, dramatic orartistic work is
made byanauthor inpursuance oftheterms ofhisorherterms ofemployment by
aproprietor ofanewspaper, magazine orsimilar periodical publication andismade
forthepurpose ofpublication inthatperiodical publication, theproprietor istheowner
ofthecopyright forthepurpose of:
(a) broadcasting thework;IP/Q/AUS/1/Add.1
Page6
(b) publication ofthework inthatorasimilar periodical publication;
(c) reproduction forthepurposes of(a)and(b)(s.35(4)).
(iii) Thisprovision willbechanged byamending legislation which isnowbefore the
Australian Parliament andunder which, ifitisenacted, authors inthesecircumstances
willownthecopyright forindependent book publication andphotocopying oftheir
works, butnototherwise.
(iv) Otherwise theruleforworks produced inthecourse of,andpursuant toacontract
of,employment isthatthecopyright isowned bytheemployer (s.35(6)).
(v) Subject toacontrary agreement, copyright inphotographs painted ordrawn portraits
andengravings thataremade under commission isowned bythecommissioning party.
However, ifthecommissioning party indicates expressly orimpliedly thepurpose to
which suchwork willbeput,thephotographer hasarighttobring anaction restraining
anyadditional uses(s.35(5)). Thisprovision iscurrently under review.
Subject matter other thanworks
(vi) Ownership ofcopyright infilms(including videos andvideo games), sound recordings,
published editions andbroadcasts isdealtwithinDivision 5ofPartIVoftheCopyright
Act.
(vii) Theoriginal owner ofthecopyright inafilmorsound recording (subject tocontract
stipulation tothecontrary) isthemaker ofthefilmorrecording. Copyright ina
commissioned filmorsound recording isowned bythecommissioning party. This
allocation oforiginal ownership mayalsobevaried bycontract (seess.97,98).
(viii) Thepublisher ofapublished edition istheowner ofthecopyright inthepublished
edition (s.100). Broadcast copyright isowned bythebroadcaster provided itisthe
holder ofarelevant broadcast licence.
Ownership ofworks andother subject matter bytheCrown (theState)
(ix) TheownershipOfworks,filmsandsoundrecordingsmadeunderthecontrolofdirection
oftheCrown (national government orstate/territory government) vestsintheCrown
(ss.176-178).
Performers
(x) Performers 'rights donotamount toaproperty rightakintocopyright, being rights
which canbeexercised onlybytheperformers personally (s.248N).
Ownership ofcopyright subject matter
(xi) Although anoriginal work must becreated byanatural person, whose lifedefines
thetermofprotection, nodistinction (asregards economic rights) isdrawn between
legal andnatural persons foranyother purpose. Therefore, legal persons suchas
corporations maybe,andoften are,thefirstowners ofalarge volume ofmaterial
including works, films, sound recordings, published editions andbroadcasts. They
canbethemakers offilms, sound recordings, broadcasts andpublished editions, forIP/Q/AUS/1/Add.1
Page7
which there areno"authors" so-called andforwhich theprotection period isafixed
termofyears from publication.
5. Please specify thetypes oflicences available forworks, performances, phonograms and
broadcasting protected bycopyright andrelated rights under thedomestic law(voluntary, compulsory
etc.)andindicate therelevant legal provisions.
(i) Norestriction isplaced onthelicensing orassignments ofworks (books, etc.)orsubject
matterotherthanworks(i.e.soundrecordings,audio-visualworks(films)andpublished
editions). However assignments andexclusive licences must beinwriting
(s.196(3), s.10(1) definition of"exclusive licence").
(ii) Section 13provides thatareference intheActtoanactcomprised inthecopyright
inawork orother subject matter istobereadasanyacttheowner ofcopyright has
theexclusive righttodoandthattheexclusive righttodoanactincludes theexclusive
righttoauthorise another person todothatact.
(iii) Compulsory orstatutory licences operate inrespect of:making ofephemeral copies
ofworks andsound recordings forbroadcasting (ss.47,107); sound broadcasting
ofworks bytheholder ofaprint-handicapped radio licence (s.47A); thesound
recording ofmusical works (s.55); andinrelation tothepublic performance and
broadcasting ofsound recordings (ss.108,109).
(iv) Suchlicences alsooperate inrespect ofcopying ofbroadcasts byeducational institutions
(Part VA)andcopying ofworks byeducational institutions andinstitutions assisting
persons withprintdisabilities andpersons withintellectual disabilities (Part VB).
(v) TheCrown(i.e.thenationalandstate/territorygovernments)alsohasastatutorylicence
fortheuseofworks andsubject matter other thanworks fortheservices oftheCrown
(s.183).
(vi) Ineachcasetheselicences aresubject topayment ofremuneration tocopyright owners.
Theamounts paidunder thevarious licences amount tosome millions ofAustralian
dollars eachyear.
6. Please specify theexceptions totherightofreproduction (Article 9oftheBerne Convention),
particularly withrespect towireandwireless digital transmissions andbrowsing ontheinternet?
(i) Therelevant right included incopyright inworks under theActistheright to
"reproduce thework inamaterial form". "Material form" isdefined ins.10(1) as
including" anyform (whether visible ornotofstorage from which the,work or
adaptation, orasubstantial partofthework oradaptation, canbereproduced".
(ii) Theprimary exceptions totheright ofreproduction under theCopyright Act1968
areasfollows.
(iii) Sections 40-43 oftheActwhich provide defences toinfringement actions where there
isa"fairdealing" withworks oradaptations forthefollowing purposes:
(a) research orstudy (s.40);
(b) criticism orreview (s.41);IP/Q/AUS/1/Add.1
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(c) news reporting (s.42);
(d) giving ofprofessional advice byalegalpractitioner orpatent attorney (s.43)?
"Fair dealing" caninclude theactofreproduction.
(iv) Analogous provisions forsubject matter otherthanworks areinPartIV(ss.103A-104).
(v) Thescope of"fairdealing" isnotexhaustively defined andisultimately amatter for
thecourts todetermine ineachcase. However, s.40(2) listsanumber ofmatters to
which regard shallbehadindetermining whether copying awork isafairdealing
forresearch orstudy.
(vi) Other exceptions include making aback-up copyofacomputer pro,.rain where this
iscarried outby,oronbehalf of,theowner oftheoriginal copytosafeguard against
theoriginal being lostordestroyed orrendered unusable (s.43A), ephemeral
reproductions forthepurposes ofbroadcasting (ss.47,107)andhome copying ofa
television broadcast (thisexception applies onlytothecopyright inthebroadcast)
(s.111). Copying byorinlibraries orarchives forvarious purposes isalsopermitted
(ss.48-53, 104A, 110A, 110B). Anexception isalsoprovided fortheplaying ofa
sound recording, other thanwhere anadmission feeischarged, inplaces where people
reside orsleep orbycharitable organisations (s.106).
(vii) Thequestion ofamending theActtodealwiththequestion ofdigital transmission by
wireorwireless means iscurrently under consideration bytheAustralian Government.
The"making available" rightinthenewWIPO Copyright Treaty andthenewWIPO
Performances andPhonograms Treaty willbeconsidered inthiscontext.