loss and closure of many. As an independent bookseller who offers real choice to consumers, you only need to walk into one to notice the difference between an independent bookseller’s stock and what you can buy at Big W. The impact will be reduced annual output of Australian titles for consumers. Because Australian publishers will be struggling they and – because they invest time and money in the production of Australian books, lifting the PIRs and changes to copyright, will undermine their investment, as Michael said, and this will force the publisher to produce fewer Australian books, take fewer risks with new authors, and be less likely to reprint books by current authors. With little opportunity for new Australian voices to break into the market, new talent will be overlooked, the old will wane or reinvent itself to suit the international market, and Australian content and flavour will be lost to consumers. (3) Consumers may end up paying more for quality Australian books and not less. With all these job losses, as Louise said from Hachette, the scale, the economy of scale, will reduce and Australian quality books may indeed become more expensive. The unproven benefits for consumers do not outweigh job losses in a thriving book industry that does not even rely on government handouts or subsidies. Lastly, I go back to my point, consumers of children’s books will be disadvantaged by foreign edition parallel imports. Australian children’s understanding of self-identity and their place in the world will be eroded. Children struggling with reading will be at risk. I see no benefits to consumers with the removal of PIRs. Thank you very much for your time. MR COPPEL: Thank you. MS SUNDE: Sorry, it took so long. MR COPPEL: Karen made the comment in the session with Hachette and the authors that the Terms of Reference had asked us to look at the issues associated with the implementation of removal of parallel import restrictions, but as I say, you’ve made a number of comments and you’ve mentioned that prices wouldn't be lower. You’ve made the point that there would be a hit to publishers that would lead to less books. You’ve made references to what’s happened in New Zealand and a lot of other submissions that made similar points. MS SUNDE: Yes.
loss and closure of many. As an independent bookseller who offers real choice to consumers, you only need to walk into one to notice the difference between an independent bookseller’s stock and what you can buy at Big W. The impact will be reduced annual output of Australian titles for consumers. Because Australian publishers will be struggling they – and because they invest time and money in the production of Australian books, lifting the PIRs and changes to copyright, will undermine their investment, as Michael said, and this will force the publisher to produce fewer Australian books, take fewer risks with new authors, and be less likely to reprint books by current authors. With little opportunity for new Australian voices to break into the market, new talent will be overlooked, the old will wane or reinvent itself to suit the international market, and Australian content and flavour will be lost to consumers. (3) Consumers may end up paying more for quality Australian books and not less. With all these job losses, as Louise said from Hachette, the scale, the economy of scale, will reduce and Australian quality books may indeed become more expensive. The unproven benefits for consumers do not outweigh job losses in a thriving book industry that does not even rely on government handouts or subsidies. Lastly, I go back to my point, consumers of children’s books will be disadvantaged by foreign edition parallel imports. Australian children’s understanding of self-identity and their place in the world will be eroded. Children struggling with reading will be at risk. I see no benefits to consumers with the removal of PIRs. Thank you very much for your time. MR COPPEL: Thank you. MS SUNDE: Sorry, it took so long. MR COPPEL: Karen made the comment in the session with Hachette and the authors that the Terms of Reference had asked us to look at the issues associated with the implementation of removal of parallel import restrictions, but as I say, you’ve made a number of comments and you’ve mentioned that prices wouldn't be lower. You’ve made the point that there would be a hit to publishers that would lead to less books. You’ve made references to what’s happened in New Zealand and a lot of other submissions that made similar points. MS SUNDE: Yes.
20160620-brisbane-intellectual-property.docx