A delegation of Australian songwriters and creative industry representatives came together at Parliament House in Canberra last night to stress the importance of copyright and government support for the contemporary music industry at the Parliamentary Friends of Australian Music (#PFOAM) Rock the House event.
More than 300 senators and members of Parliament sang, danced and rocked out to performances by Daryl Braithwaite, Diesel, Megan Washington, Ross Wilson (Daddy Cool/Mondo Rock), Montaigne and Kav Temperley (Eskimo Joe), and heard why proposed changes to copyright are detrimental to creators’ rights.
“We call on the Federal Government to refer the question of whether Australia’s safe harbour provisions should be amended and, if so in what way, to the Department of Communications and the Arts for a comprehensive and holistic review of the different issues and stakeholder interests involved. This review process must include thorough consultation with the creative content sector.
We also call on the Government to recognise both the macro and micro economic impact and opportunity of the Australian contemporary music industry.
“Innovation is at the heart of the sector, with songwriters and artists operating micro-businesses across every corner of the country.
Collectively, they contribute to a multi-billion dollar industry that is relevant to a large number of government portfolios, from Communications and the Arts to Trade, Tourism, Innovation, Small Business, Education, Regional Development and Health.”
Brett Cottle, APRA AMCOS Chief Executive:
AUSTRALIAN CONTEMPORARY MUSIC INDUSTRY IN NUMBERS
Australian contemporary music is big business
• Music Australia has estimated the music sector contributes $4 to $6 billion to the Australian economy1
• Copyright industries generate more value add to the Australian economy than manufacturing and health care; recorded music is one of the most significant contributors2
• Evidence from overseas suggests changes to the Fair Use exception will result in a drop of $1.3 billion in Australia’s GDP3
• More Australians attend live music than sport4
• Australia’s live contemporary music industry generates revenues of $1.5 to $2 billion annually5
Contemporary music generates jobs and growth
• Expenditure associated with live music making in Australia is estimated to generate in the order of 64,747 jobs, 37,652 of which are full-time6
• Creative industries are strong contributors to employment growth, growing 40 per cent faster than the economy as a whole7
• Australian music and performing arts businesses comprise almost one per cent of all Australian small businesses.
Read the full APRA AMCOS submission in response to the Productivity Commission’s report into intellectual property here.
