Lotu-Iiga Peseta Sam: Copyright (Infringing File Sharing) Amendment Bill — Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
Lotu-Iiga Peseta Sam: Copyright (Infringing File Sharing) Amendment Bill — Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
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PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA (National—Maungakiekie) 
: 
 I rise in this second reading to support the Copyright (Infringing File Sharing) Amendment Bill. Before I talk to the specific sections of the bill I will remind the previous speaker Clare Curran about a little of its history. 
The original section 92A of the Copyright Act was added by the Copyright (New Technologies) Amendment Act passed by the Labour Government and led by the Hon Judith Tizard. That section actually caused such an outcry from opponents and industry stakeholders that it raised serious concerns. I was not in Parliament to support that bill but I know that Judith Tizard pushed it through. As a result our National-led Government has not brought section 92A into force. A number of industry people were against the Labour legislation and the Internet Blackout campaign drew international support against it. So it is rich that the previous speaker has come to this House and said that she grudgingly accepts this bill. 
We did a lot of hard work on this bill and there was a lot of consultation with various stakeholders within the industry. What has come about I believe is a firm but fair compromise which is about making the legislation more workable and effective. It discourages illegal file-sharing and it provides more effective measures in order to protect our creative industries and help them enforce their copyrights not just in the Copyright Tribunal but in the District Court. 
What does the legislation do? As the Minister pointed out the three-notice regime includes Internet service providers sending warning notices to customers informing them that they have infringed copyright. Part of that regime is about warnings but part of it is about education. A number of surveys have shown that people who share files do not actually understand that they are breaking the law—they do not. Part of the notice regime is to educate those people. Many of them are young but I would not totally blame young users of the Internet for transgressing the laws; I think that people across the board are part of the society that breaks the law. 
The tribunal can award up to $15000 in penalties based on the damages. The suspension regime that is part of this bill can be brought in by Order in Council. What is important here is that the Government will work with stakeholders to monitor and review the situation. We will monitor and review the situation and if suspension is deemed to be the appropriate measure based on the facts over time after a review then that is what will happen. But suffice it to say that we need to monitor the situation. The Ministry of Economic Development will work with various stakeholders including the member opposite Clare Curran who said she was none too happy about the result of this bill. But at the end of the day I thought all parties were happy and that a fair and balanced process to deal with online copyright infringements had come about. 
It is a good bill. I think it will be effective and workable in the long run. Stakeholders—certainly those who have come to me both personally and at the Commerce Committee—are happy with the situation which will be reviewed and monitored going forward. I support this bill.