Craig Emerson’s book import proposal cannot work, industry expert warns

Small business and competition minister Craig Emerson has offered a compromise with sellers and publishers regarding the controversial move to scrap all import restrictions, but industry groups are unhappy and reportedly said the proposal cannot work.

The compromise includes a suggestion to sellers and publishers that the Government would keep current import restrictions but would require publishers to make new releases available at the same time as the same releases overseas.

The decision comes after the Productivity Commission recommended scrapping all rules that would stop retailers from importing and then selling cheaper copies of a book if the copyright holder has sold it in Australia within 30 days of the overseas release.

Several ministers opposed the view, including industry minister Kim Carr, immigration minister Chris Evans and attorney-general Robert McClelland.

Financial services minister Chris Bowen and Emerson were two ministers to support the recommendations which they reportedly believe is an important piece of reform.

The reasons behind the move are due to ensure the increased availability of books rather than an emphasis on cheaper prices. The new plan will see import restrictions remain but local copyright holders of books published overseas will be required to print them straight away rather than wait 30 days.

But Hagop Tchamkertenian, national manager for policy and government affairs for the Printing Industries Association of Australia, says the proposal received no endorsement in the meeting itself.

“What Emerson is proposing is something that is called simultaneous publishing. But publishers have informed me that simultaneous publishing just does not work. That is why the 30 day rule exists, because the publishers need time to print it, get the files, distribute the books, and so on. They need 30 days to abide by current provisions, and reducing it to a ridiculous figure of no time doesn’t afford any protection.”

“It’s irrelevant to say you’re going to maintain restrictions on imports because you need up to 30 days to print the books anyway. What he is proposing is just impossible, and will see a lot of books no longer printed in Australia but overseas, which is bad for the local industry.”