THE GOVERNMENT AS PROPRIETOR, PRESERVER AND USER OF COPYRIGHT MATERIAL UNDER THE COPYRIGHT ACT 1968 (CTH) by John Steel Gilchrist Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Australia and of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory BA, LLB, LLM (Mon) GCHE (UC) A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Queensland University of Technology 2012 IN MEMORIAM Ian Steel Gilchrist and Violet Cherry Burnell Gregory STATEMENT OF ORIGINAL AUTHORSHIP The work contained in this thesis has not been previously submitted to meet requirements for an award at this or any other higher education institution. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made. Signature QUT Verified Signature Date: 111 ABSTRACT This thesis examines the role of government as proprietor, preserver and user of copyright material under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) and the policy considerations which Australian law should take into account in that role. There are two recurring themes arising in this examination which are significant to the recommendations and conclusions. The first is whether the needs and status of government should be different from private sector institutions, which also obtain copyright protection under the law. This theme stems from the 2005 Report on Crown Copyright by the Copyright Law Review Committee and the earlier Ergas Committee Report which are discussed in Chapters 2 and 8 of this thesis. The second is to identify the relationship between government copyright law and policy, national cultural policy and fundamental governance values. This theme goes to the essence of the thesis. For example, does the law and practice of government copyright properly reflect technological change in the way we now access and use information and does it facilitate the modern information management principles of government? Is the law and practice of government copyright consistent with the greater openness and accountability of government? The thesis concludes that government copyright law and practice in each of the three governmental roles recognised under the Copyright Act 1968 has not responded adequately to the information age and to the desire and the ability of individuals to access information quickly and effectively. The solution offered in this thesis is reform of the law and of public policy that is in step with access to information policy, the promotion of better communication and interaction with the community, and the enhanced preservation of government and private copyright materials for reasons of government accountability, effective administration and national culture and heritage. KEY WORDS Crown copyright, government copyright, crown ownership of copyright, copyright deposit, library deposit, legal deposit, copyright and government archives, access to, and re-use of, government information, government as preserver of copyright material, crown use of copyright material, copyright and government information management. iv PREFACE This thesis examines the role of government as proprietor, preserver and user of copyright material under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) and the policy considerations which Australian law should take into account in that role. For the sake of cohesion and to the confine the research within reasonable bounds it has been necessary to focus discussion on the position of the Australian federal government, which is embodied within the term ‘Commonwealth’ in the Copyright Act 1968, rather than the States of Australia. However, references are made to important developments in the States and to the law and developments in other parts of the world, as well as to the historical background of our laws through the incorporation of English and imperial law into this country. The law discussed in this thesis is that available to me as at 3 February 2012, although significant developments which have occurred after this date have been included where possible. I acknowledge with much thanks the valuable assistance and strong encouragement given to me by various people in the course of writing this thesis. Most particularly, I wish to thank my supervisors, Professor Brian Fitzgerald and Professor Anne Fitzgerald of QUT, whose support, constructive comments and responsive review aided me immensely, to Neale Hooper of the Office of Economic and Statistical Research, Queensland Treasury, for his valuable knowledge and insights from his pioneering work on the GILF project and for his ongoing support, to Ben Atkinson of QUT, for his historiographical and other comments over the life of this work, to doctorate panel members at my confirmation and final seminars and to the graduate research and administrative staff of QUT, to DP Plus document production and to my wife who assisted me with a critical review of the text and with proof reading, and to my colleagues and graduate students at the University of Canberra. JS Gilchrist v CONTENTS STATEMENT OF ORIGINAL AUTHORSHIP ........................................................iii ABSTRACT................................................................................................................iv KEY WORDS .............................................................................................................iv PREFACE .................................................................................................................... v Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................1 I Subject Matter and Purpose of this Thesis....................................................... 1 II Significance of this Thesis ............................................................................... 3 III Australian and International Background ........................................................ 4 A Australia................................................................................................... 4 B International............................................................................................. 9 IV Methodology .................................................................................................. 13 V Matters beyond the Scope of this Thesis........................................................ 15 VI Legal and Policy Framework ......................................................................... 16 VII Structure ......................................................................................................... 16 Chapter 2 LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK...........................................23 I Aim of Chapter............................................................................................... 23 II Scope and Diversity of Modern Australian Government............................... 25 A Arms and Roles of Government.............................................................. 25 B Ergas Committee Report ........................................................................ 28 III What Constitutes the Crown under Part VII of the Copyright Act 1968....... 30 A The Scope of ‘the Commonwealth or a State’........................................ 31 B Ergas Committee Conclusion................................................................. 39 IV The Australian Legal and Policy Framework ................................................ 40 A Copyright................................................................................................ 40 B Administration of Government............................................................... 50 V Technological Change and Information Policy.............................................. 60 A Impact of Technological Change on the Management of Information............................................................................................. 60 B Interoperability and Sharing of Information.......................................... 65 VI Conclusion...................................................................................................... 71 Chapter 3 CROWN COPYRIGHT: THE GOVERNMENT AS PROPRIETOR OF COPYRIGHT MATERIAL.............................. 72 I Aim of Chapter............................................................................................... 72 II Introduction.................................................................................................... 73 III Government Ownership–Legal Basis ............................................................ 74 IV Prerogative Copyright .................................................................................... 75 A Origins and Policy ................................................................................. 75 B Present Scope ......................................................................................... 83 V Part VII of the Copyright Act 1968................................................................ 85 A Origins and Policy ................................................................................. 85 vi B Present Scope ......................................................................................... 93 VI Conclusion.................................................................................................... 105 Chapter 4 CROWN COPYRIGHT: A COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE.................................................................................. 108 I Aim of the Chapter......................................................................................