The Communications Alliance has released a draft Industry Code to combat online copyright infringement: http://www.commsalliance.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/47570/DR-C653-2015.pdf. The Code is the product of an intensive development process by Internet Service Providers and a broad alliance of Rights Holders from the music, film, television and performing arts industries, following the request by the Federal Government in December 2014. The Code creates a Copyright Notice Scheme through which residential fixed internet users who are alleged to have infringed copyright online will receive an escalating series of infringement notices designed to change their behaviour and steer them toward lawful sources of content. The effectiveness of the Code will be independently evaluated 18 months after its commencement.
The public have 30 days to submit comments on the draft. After that consultation period the code will be finalised and submitted for registration with ACMA, which is the regulator for the communications industry. Comments can be submitted at:
http://www.commsalliance.com.au/Documents/public-comment. The deadline for public comment is 23 March 2015.
