By Kylie Howard, Editors Victoria events subcommittee
On 21 May 2024, we had the pleasure of welcoming Eileen Camilleri, lawyer and CEO of the Australian Copyright Council (ACC), to speak at an Editors Victoria event on where to find answers to copyright questions in Australia.
Eileen started by explaining the ACC’s history, functions and role in the copyright law landscape. The ACC was established in 1968, the same year the Australian Government introduced the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). It is an independent, not-for-profit community legal service, which provides information, as well as educational and legal advice services, to creators and consumers. The ACC is also an advocate for copyright law reform and has addressed government inquiries on proposed changes to the law. The ACC’s affiliates include bodies familiar to editors: the Australian Publishers Association (APA) and the Australian Society of Authors (ASA).
Eileen took us on a very helpful tour of the ACC’s website, starting with the comprehensive and free fact sheets. These currently total over 100 and cover topics such as “editors and copyright”, “writers and copyright” and “an introduction to copyright in Australia”. Eileen then directed us to the books issued by the ACC. These deal with various areas of copyright and are available for purchase on the ACC website. Next, she showed us the training pages.
Training is available in webinar format but can also be customised. Upcoming ACC webinars include Copyright fundamentals and Making and using content. Lastly, Eileen talked about the legal advice service provided by the ACC and showed us around the relevant page on the website. The ACC provides free written legal advice to eligible individuals and organisations. The website helpfully lists organisations you can turn to if you are not eligible for the free service, such as the law societies in each state, ASA and IP Australia (the Australian Government agency that administers intellectual property rights and related legislation).
Eileen was an engaging, informative and generous guest, and left attendees armed with the wherewithal to navigate this sometimes complex and confusing area.
A recording of this presentation is available to purchase and view until 31 August 2024.