A major economic report has found Australia’s copyright-based industries such as music, publishing and film continue to make a significant contribution to the national economy.
The report, undertaken by PwC for the Australian Copyright Council, was released by the Parliamentary Secretary for Industry and Innovation, The Hon Mark Dreyfus QC, MP in Parliament House, Canberra. The PwC report found in 2011 Australia’s copyright industries: generated AUD$93.2 billion in economic activity (6.6 percent of GDP); accounted for just over AUD$7 billion in exports (2.9 percent of all exports); and employed more than 906,000 people (8 percent of the nation?s workforce).
Professor Michael Fraser AM, Chair of the Australian Copyright Council, said the report demonstrates how important the copyright industries are to the Australian economy. “In an economic environment where Australia is slowly emerging from the global financial crisis, where the mining and resource sectors dominate our economy and when the Australian dollar is at record highs, copyright industries continue to drive innovation and make a significant contribution to our economy. It is clear the copyright industries are in a state of transition as they respond to emerging distribution platforms and new consumer demands. As a result, the copyright industries are coming up with new ways of delivering content to consumers that are innovative and affordable.
“With the right regulatory framework, copyright industries can continue to develop new business models. And in doing so, continue to provide jobs and quality education, information and entertainment content that highlights Australian creativity. A secure copyright market is a foundation for Australian copyright industries which express Australian culture and identity both here and around the world. This is an important report that will help governments and the broader community appreciate the value of the copyright industries”, Prof Fraser said.
The Australian Copyright Council is an independent non-profit organisation with 24 affiliated members including the peak bodies for professional artists and content creators working in Australia?s creative industries and Australia’s major copyright collecting societies. It supports a creative Australia by promoting the benefit of copyright for the common good. The Australian Copyright Council provides easily accessible and practical, information, legal advice, and training on Australian copyright law for content creators and consumers. Read report here: http://www.copyright.org.au/pdf/PwC-Report-2012.pdf.
(ACCESS 83, December 2012)
