The Copyright Agency, (“standing up for creators for more than 40 years”) is taking action in the Copyright Tribunal “to determine the value” of educational content copied under a licence held by Universities Australia. The Agency says it is acting, “after a breakdown in commercial discussions” with UA. It argues the $32m pa licence, “has been decreasing in real terms, given inflation, the rapid growth in student numbers and the fact there has been a huge increase in the digital platforms available for copying and sharing material.”

“Licence fees support the Australian educational publishing industry to continue to produce high-quality educational material. Not paying a fair rate undermines the ability of publishers, authors and artists to invest, innovate and develop more Australian content,” CEO Adam Suckling says.

Last night Universities Australia CEO Catriona Jackson responded, “universities pay hundreds of millions of dollars directly each year to publishers and copyright owners and that amount continues to grow.

“Universities pay a fair price for the content they use and will continue to do so.  We have negotiated in good faith with Copyright Agency.”