The Copyright Act 1968 (the Act) grants all state and territory governments a statutory licence to reproduce copyright material without the permission of the copyright owner. However, governments are required to pay equitable remuneration to copyright owners for this copying. This obligation is met by reaching agreement with copyright collecting societies.

The NSW Attorney General’s Department is responsible for negotiating arrangements with copyright collecting societies to meet the NSW Government’s obligations under the Act.

Screenrights is the declared collecting society for government copying of television and radio. The NSW Government is required by the Act to reach agreement with Screenrights. Prior to reaching agreement, government agencies are required to participate in an interim survey. Over the next 12 months, your agency will be asked to participate in a copyright survey for a period of three months. The survey will be conducted via email and will require the participation of all staff.

As the copying of radio and television broadcasts is largely concentrated, the impact on staff is likely to be minimal. However, the impact for your agency will be on those staff members or business units who do undertake copying of radio and television broadcasts for work purposes as well as work units that will be required to report on their copying. These include libraries and media and communications units within your agency.

For information on the conduct of the survey and your agency’s participation, please contact Jennifer Mar Young, State Copyright Manager on telephone 02 8061 9228 or email [email protected] or visit www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au (go to ‘Lawlink Agencies’ then ‘Copyright Unit’). The State Copyright Manager will be available to assist agencies in their participation in the survey, and co-ordinate the survey with Screenrights.

Robyn Kruk
Director-General

This Circular has not superseded any other Memorandum/Circular. It supports implementation of Circular 2005-06: Intellectual Property Management Framework for the NSW Public Sector.