Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Yes. Thank you, Mr Acting Deputy President Leyonhjelm, and thank you to the minister for giving me some space to put on the record my contribution. I'll keep it brief.

We know what the purpose of this bill, the Copyright Amendment (Online Infringement) Bill 2018, is: it is to ensure Australian artists are given due credit and payment for their work and to protect them from having their work stolen, pirated or abused. It will do this by targeting those who intend to steal their work online. We know that, while many Australian artists have had to adapt to the new world order of the digital revolution, they've done so having to back themselves, often taking the risk financially without knowing exactly how it was going to pay off. Over recent years, we've seen Australian artists starting to do more and more engagement with the digital world and grapple with the issues of copyright but also do more in how they reach audiences and build a reputation and support from those online audiences as well. This bill, notwithstanding the comments put on the record by my colleague Senator Steele-John, will go some way to ensuring that artists, particularly small and independent artists, can have at least an avenue to protect their work if, indeed, it is stolen or there is an infringement of copyright use that undermines their ability to get paid.

We want to see Australian artists supported more and more. This bill creates a pathway for artists and creators to have their rights protected, but we need to do more than this to ensure that Australian artists are given strong policy backing in this country. That's one of the reasons the Greens strongly believe, in a creative Australia, we need a creativity commission—an agency in Australia that would underpin and support Australian artists and the ability of creativity to permeate across all sections of the economy and society. We believe, fundamentally, in the ability of the arts, of creativity, to improve all of our lives. We believe that our culture is made richer through the contribution of creative endeavours. We believe that artists have the right to have their work protected. That includes, of course, artists who work offline and also artists who work fundamentally and predominantly in an online and digital space. They too need to be respected and recognised for the amazing contribution that they give to innovation in this country.

We pride ourselves on developing and advocating for strong policies to support creative Australia. That's why we've been leading an inquiry into Australian content creation, ensuring that Australian stories are promoted and supported through the various different platforms, whether that's traditional broadcast or platforms online or, indeed, even radio. I note that today is the Australian music awards, the ARIA awards, where, for the first time in a long time, the majority of nominees up for awards are Australian artists who are coming back to Australia and investing back into the Australian creative environment. Having their work recognised through those awards will be a great thing to see happen this evening. I just want to say: well done to all the nominees today, and congratulations to those who ultimately win those awards as they're announced later on tonight.

A creativity commission would give Australian artists and creators the ability to have their contribution to the economy and to society recognised. We have a Productivity Commission, we have the CSIRO, we have the Human Rights Commission—all different areas which we understand deserve special recognition in a variety of ways. We have the Productivity Commission, we have the CSIRO, we have the Human Rights Commission—all different areas which we understand deserve special recognition in a variety of ways. It is time that Australian artists and creators also have the backing of a government funded agency that upholds and promotes the benefits of creativity to our entire community, economy and society. That is something I'll be pushing for very strongly over the coming months and I look forward to discussions on both sides of the chamber as to how we can ensure that Australian artists and creators, in the online and offline environment, can be supported better and wholeheartedly by all sides of politics and all sides of the chamber.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.