A public lending right for New Zealand authors

The Public Lending Right for New Zealand Authors Bill began its first reading in Parliament today. The Bill gives New Zealand authors the right to payment for the public use of their books through public libraries, Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Judith Tizard said today.

"The Bill will establish a right for eligible New Zealand authors to receive an annual government payment to compensate them for New Zealand readers having free access to their books in libraries, rather than having to buy the works," said Judith Tizard.

“Our authors have provided a great cultural and social service to generation after generation of New Zealand library users” said Judith Tizard, who is also Minister Responsible for the National Library.

“We are well known as a nation of avid readers, and that is reflected in having one of the highest rates of book borrowing and use of reference works in libraries all over the country. Authors deserve not only some financial pay back for that but also some recognition for their service. This Bill will go a long way to achieving both those aims.”

The Public Lending Right for New Zealand Authors Bill replaces the New Zealand Authors’ Fund, established in 1973 and currently administered by Creative New Zealand. The new Bill will disestablish the New Zealand Authors’ Fund by repealing section 31 of Creative New Zealand’s legislation.

To safeguard authors’ interests and ensure a seamless transition, Creative New Zealand will operate the New Zealand Authors’ Fund until the new legislation takes force.

Last May, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Helen Clark announced as part of Budget 2008 an additional $500,000 per annum available to Creative New Zealand for the Authors’ Fund. This raised the Fund’s budget to $2 million per annum. This funding will be carried over into the new public lending right scheme.

The new legislation will provide for regulations to determine clear criteria for which books and New Zealand authors will be eligible for the public lending right scheme.

An advisory group will be appointed to provide advice on the scheme. The advisory group will consist of representatives of authors and librarians, employees of relevant government departments, and others with the appropriate experience, knowledge and skills to advise on the scheme.

“Over the years authors have felt distant from the way in which the New Zealand Authors’ Fund has operated”, Judith Tizard said. “But it has always been very important to them, because in practice it supports their income and in principle it acknowledges they have an entitlement for fair payment for the public use of their creative work.”

Internationally there are twenty-eight public lending right schemes. New Zealand was the first English speaking country to establish one, the New Zealand Authors’ Fund, in 1973.

Establishing the new scheme as a right under its own, stand-alone legislation, brings New Zealand into line with other countries, particularly the United Kingdom and Australia.