The Australian government yesterday announced it intends to repeal parallel importation restrictions on books, which has again caused concern in the publishing industry. But, really, what’s the problem?
The government has agreed to the Harper competition review recommendation on parallel imports on books, but there’s still a long way to go on IP reform.
Current regulations are a complete mismatch for today’s media practices and structures. While politicians shy from the debate, it’s time to heed public opinion and revisit the Finkelstein Report.
Both big and small business have much at stake in competition policy reform, but they need to move on from simplistic arguments about misuse of market power.
The same forces of disruption that are changing industries and economies around the world are now having a discernible effect on Australian politics – and that’s bad news for the major parties.
Supermarket giants are predictably opposed to
Harper Review’s effects test, but the report is a mixed bag when it comes to other retail competition issues.
Big reforms in taxation and competition policy are on the table for the Abbott government, but has it spent too much political capital to get any of them across the line?
The removal of restrictions on retail trading hours, pharmacies and parallel imports, and a controversial “effects test” on existing misuse of market power rules are among the many recommendations contained…