Will 2014 be the year of fair use in Australia? That’s certainly the recommendation of the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) whose long-awaited report Copyright and the Digital Economy will be made public early this year. 

After reading the over 700 submissions, countless stakeholder consultations and a lot of legal analysis the ALRC have concluded that the current exceptions in the Copyright Act are not adequate, and we would be better served with a flexible fair use exception. There are many crucial reasons this is the case. The ALRC note that fair use is 'suitable for the digital economy and will assist innovation'. The the ACCC support fair use as 'likely to promote an appropriate balance between socially beneficial incentives to create and incentives to disseminate and use copyright material'

But, it’s summer. It’s hot. Very hot come to think of it. It’s hard to feel in the mood for lengthy in depth economic analysis or legal theorising. 

So, let’s settle back with an icy drink and let the laws themselves do the talking.

Are Australia’s laws fit for purpose? Nope, but they are downright hilarious. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhDR1I4DpTo#action=share

(I am blaming the heat for an inability to embed the video - please do click on the link.  Worth the effort)