For anyone who hasn’t heard yet, Labour has made a decision to back the FTA but only if two ammendments are made. One concerning the PBS, and the other concerning ensuring Australian content is not reduced on our air waves.
I have found it disturbing that even though there has been a lot of articles by people of many backgrounds about the issues surrounding IP (namely patents, copyright and anti-circumvention issues), these have never been mentioned as key issues by the government. Certain politicians have recognised the issues, and even encouraged us to fight them, however it never seemed to quite make it up the ranks. I’m concerned that we now are going to face incredible challenges just to create in this country (software, hardware, research, new technologies) because the new laws will lock in a personal and anti-competitive threat to developers, researchers, small companies and even the end users. The fact that the text of the FTA finds USERS of multi-zone DVD players criminally liable is ridiculous! So the the gov has agreed to make a special clause for that case, why the hell is it in there? We’re trying to develop some contingency plans that protect our community, but everyone should be looking carefully at how this affects them and their businesses.
We tried to get Lessig out here, but the Senate Enquiry committee, who originally were keen beans to hear him ended up saying they couldn’t wait till then. I mean what is the rush! We then tried to organise him to come earlier but being siuch a busy individual that didn’t happen.
Interestingly enough, “Mr Latham last night said he was holding Mr Howard to his word that the agreement did not open the prospect of US companies using “bodgy” patents”. They seem to be able to grasp the concept with drugs. I suppose they don’t recognise the incredible amount of Software IP this country develops. From the extensive Open Source network and home-grown projects, right through to the custom proprietary software developed by Australian companies. We are all at risk.