Summary

2.1 The ALRC has identified five specific framing principles to define the policy settings for this Inquiry. The principles are derived from existing laws, other relevant reviews and government reports, international policy discussions and reviews. They are also principles stakeholders have identified in response to the Issues Paper and Discussion Paper.

2.2 As changes in the context of the digital economy are difficult to anticipate, there is a need for regulation that can be adaptive to changes in the copyright environment. The framing principles allow for flexibility in the application of copyright rules, while being anchored in an understanding of policy goals that can remain more constant over time.

2.3 The principles outlined are not necessarily the only considerations in copyright reform, but they generally accord with other established principles, including those developed for the digital environment in international discussions.

2.4 Submissions to this Inquiry demonstrated that most stakeholders agreed with the framing principles discussed below. However, the application of copyright law and possible reform to copyright law in pursuit of achieving these principles, is highly contested.