Staff information on copyright
Advice on Copyright
Most of the information and advice provided on this website has been prepared by Universities Australia (UA), formerly the Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee, and has been checked by Baker and McKenzie a law firm in Sydney that advises the UA on copyright matters. Staff are urged to rely on this advice, rather than on advice obtained from other sources such as the Australian Copyright Council, Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) or Screenrights. Staff who choose to obtain advice from these bodies are reminded that such advice is likely to reflect the primary role of these bodies which is to protect the interests of copyright owners, not the rights of copyright users like universities.
Further Advice
Staff who need advice on copyright matters that are not covered on this website should contact:
Kerry Peterson
Copyright Material
Most copyright material can be classified as print and graphic material or audiovisual material. Copyright material may be copied and/or communicated by universities under licences granted by the Copyright Act 1968 (the Statutory Licences).
Statutory Licences
Under the Statutory Licences the University may copy and communicate copyright material provided it does so for educational purposes and abides by the other limitations on copying and communicating imposed by the Licences.
Print and Graphic Copying and Communication
Print and graphic copying includes copying from literary works (books, periodicals, computer programs), dramatic works, musical works and artistic works and/or digitising that material. Print and graphic communication is the electronic transmission of the copied material (eg on a CD, as an email attachment, or online).
Part VB of the Copyright Act allows the University to copy and communicate, under licence for educational purposes, copyright print and graphic material subject to strict limitations. No records need to be kept of the print and graphic copying done at the University. Payment for this copying is made to Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) (the collecting agency) under an agreement until 2010. The cost of the licence is met from a central University account.
Audio Visual Copying and Communication
Audiovisual copying includes copying television and radio material off-air, off-cable or from satellite. Audiovisual communication is the electronic transmission of the copied material (eg on a CD, as an email attachment, or online).
Part VA of the Copyright Act allows the University to copy and communicate, under licence for educational purposes, copyright audiovisual material subject to certain limitations. From 25 August 2001 no records need to be kept of the audiovisual copying done at the University. Under an agreement to 31 December 2004, payment for this copying is made to Screenrights (the collecting agency), at the rate of $4 per EFTSU in 2001 with CPI indexing. The cost of the Licence is met from a central University account.