Queensland University of Technology Are the Offences in the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) Legitimate and Effective? An Analysis based in Harm and Social Norms Theory Steven Gething B.A. (Hons) G.D.L. LL.M. 27 August 2012 This thesis examines the effectiveness of offences in the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) in the online environment. The application of social norm theories suggests that the offences will be ineffective in creating an effective deterrent to non-commercial copyright infringement. 1 QUT Verified Signature Table of Contents CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 1 [1] Overview ................................................................................................................................................... 1 [2] Theoretical approach ................................................................................................................................ 2 [3] Methodology ............................................................................................................................................ 4 [4] Thesis structure ........................................................................................................................................ 4 PART I: HISTORY AND THEORY ..................................................................................................................... 9 CHAPTER 2: THE DEVELOPMENT OF COPYRIGHT OFFENCES IN AUSTRALIA ........................................................................ 11 [1] Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 11 [2] Overview ................................................................................................................................................. 12 [3] Pre-Federation ........................................................................................................................................ 13 [4] The Copyright Act 1905 (Cth) ................................................................................................................. 13 [5] The Copyright Act 1912 (Cth) ................................................................................................................. 14 [6] The Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) ................................................................................................................. 16 [7] The Copyright Amendment Act 1980 (Cth) ............................................................................................. 17 [8] The Copyright Amendment Act 1984 (Cth) ............................................................................................. 19 [9] The Copyright Amendment Act 1986 (Cth) ............................................................................................. 20 [10] The Copyright Amendment Act 1989 (Cth) ........................................................................................... 23 [11] The Copyright Amendment Act 1998 (Cth) ........................................................................................... 25 [12] The Copyright Amendment (Digital Agenda) Act 2000 (Cth) ................................................................ 26 [13] The Copyright Amendment (Parallel Importation) Act 2003 (Cth) ....................................................... 28 [14] The US Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act 2004 (Cth) and the Copyright Legislation Amendment Act 2004 (Cth) ......................................................................................................................... 28 [15] The Copyright Amendment Act 2006 (Cth) ........................................................................................... 29 [16] Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................ 30 CHAPTER 3: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................... 31 [1] Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 31 [2] The Harm Principle ................................................................................................................................. 32 [2.1] Measuring Harm ............................................................................................................................................... 34 [3] Social Norms Theory ............................................................................................................................... 36 [4.1] How Social Norms Originate and Operate ........................................................................................................ 39 [4.2] The Influence of Norms on Behaviour .............................................................................................................. 40 [5] Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................. 45 PART II: LEGISLATION ................................................................................................................................. 47 CHAPTER 4: APPLICATION OF THE CRIMINAL CODE ACT 1995 (CTH) TO THE COPYRIGHT ACT 1968 (CTH) ............................. 49 [1] Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 49 [2] Elements of an Offence .......................................................................................................................... 50 [2.1] Physical Elements .............................................................................................................................................. 50 [2.2] Fault Elements .................................................................................................................................................. 53 [3] Defences ................................................................................................................................................. 63 [3.1] Section 9.2: Mistake of Fact (Strict Liability) ..................................................................................................... 63 [3.2] Section 10.1: Intervening conduct or event ...................................................................................................... 64 [4] Section 11.3: Commission by proxy ........................................................................................................ 65 [5] Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................. 66 CHAPTER 5: SUBSTANTIAL INFRINGEMENT ON A COMMERCIAL SCALE AND INFRINGING COPIES ............................................ 69 [1] Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 69 [2] Part V – Remedies and Offences, Division V – Offences, Subdivision A: Preliminaries .......................... 70 [2.1] Section 132AA: Definitions................................................................................................................................ 70 [2.2] Section 132AB: Geographical application ......................................................................................................... 70 [3] Subdivision B: Substantial infringement on a commercial scale ............................................................ 71 [3.1] Section 132AC: Commercial-scale infringement prejudicing copyright owner ................................................. 72 [4] Subdivision C: Infringing Copies .............................................................................................................. 76 [4.1] Common Elements ............................................................................................................................................ 77 [4.2] Section 132AD: Making infringing copy commercially ...................................................................................... 78 [4.3] Section 132AE: Selling or Hiring Out Infringing Copy ........................................................................................ 83 [4.4] Section 132AF: Offering infringing copy for sale or hire ................................................................................... 85 [4.5] Section 132AG: Exhibiting infringing copy in public commercially ................................................................... 93 [4.6] Section 132AH: Importing infringing copy commercially .................................................................................. 97 [4.7] Section 132AI: Distributing infringing copy ..................................................................................................... 103 [4.8] Section 132AJ: Possessing infringing copy for commerce ............................................................................... 112 [4.9] Section 132AK: Aggravated offence ................................................................................................................ 115 [4.10] Section 132AL: Making or possessing device for making infringing copy ....................................................