Discussion of territorial copyright for authors and book publishers is heated and emotive. Tim Wilson of the Institute of Public Affairs writes that it's all about greedy authors protecting their turf, while The Age's editorial writer says it represents the abandonment of the guardians of our literary culture.
The debate surrounds last week's Productivity Commission recommendations for the removal of parallel import restrictions. The restrictions currently in place are said to allow local writers, publishers, and small book shops to earn a living in exchange for higher book prices for the public. The proposed change could reverse this situation.
Both sides have a point, but the argument itself may be irrelevant.
Like newspapers, it's certain that books will move from print to an electronic form within the next 20 years. Rupert Murdoch told the Fox Business Network earlier this year that newspapers will be converting relatively soon:
'I think it's two or three years away before they get introduced in a big way and then it will probably take 10 years or 15 years for the public to swing over.'
Books will not be far behind.
There will only be a future for authors, publishers and booksellers who embrace the new medium. In the United States, Amazon is focused on the uptake of its Kindle e-book reading technology. In Australia, Dymocks is testing the market with a European device called the Iliad (pictured), together with an increasing range of e-book titles in its catalogue.
Writers are also taking up the challenge to experiment. The formula for success is uncertain, and aspiring US author Matt Stewart is using Twitter to serialise his novel in 140 character installments.
The point is that Australian writers and publishers would do better to focus their efforts on making the future rather than preserving the past.
The Federal Government will soon decide whether to accept or reject the Productivity Commission recommendations. However whatever legislation is put or left in place could be largely irrelevant in as little as five years time. The experience of the music industry has shown that copyright provisions do not readily transfer from traditional forms of production and distribution, to the internet.
New rules will be necessary because things are done differently online. This is where Australia's writers, publishers and booksellers should be.
Michael Mullins is editor of Eureka Street.