Earlier this week we pointed out that the press increasingly started to question pro-copyright propaganda.
One of the hopes we had was that the Attorney General would to the same during the “secret” stakeholder meeting that was organized today.
The Australian Pirate Party agrees and rightfully notes that the meeting is also missing one of the most important stakeholders.
During the meeting the invitees will discuss how to combat online piracy, but the people who will be most affected by what is discussed are not welcome.
“It is deeply concerning. To allow big media a free hand in drafting copyright legislation and dictating terms of enforcement without consulting other stakeholders will result in laws that benefit only big media at the expense of artists and consumers,” said Simon Frew, Acting Secretary of the Pirate Party.
“There are huge civil liberties and human rights issues in any enforcement framework. The termination, suspension or limitation of access upon allegation or even violation of copyright, in an ill-conceived attempt to prop up failing business models, at the expense of artists and consumers is completely unacceptable,” Frew added.
The Pirate Party further points at the hugely biased research that will be used to pressure the authorities into passing more strict anti-piracy laws.
“There has been huge doubt cast over research conducted by shady lobby groups which have been used by the Attorney General as justification for the policy direction of the Australian Government.[4] In order to have balanced laws, the government must be transparent and inclusive, allowing all stakeholders, including artists and consumers an equal opportunity in drafting any legislation,” said Rodney Serkowski, President of Pirate Party Australia.
“When meetings are convened in secret and exclude important stakeholders and civil society, it compromises the integrity of our democratic processes,” Serkowski added.
