Appointment to the Copyright Tribunal

Commerce Minister Simon Power has today announced the appointment of Peter Dengate-Thrush to the Copyright Tribunal for a term of five years.


"Mr Dengate-Thursh's knowledge and expertise in the areas of information technology and copyright law will be of great advantage to the tribunal. These attributes will be of particular importance, given the role the tribunal will play in dealing with illegal copying over the internet."


Mr Power also thanked Judith Fyfe for her service as a member of the tribunal for more than five years.


Background on Peter Dengate-Thrush


Peter Dengate-Thrush is a barrister, patent attorney and trial lawyer, specialising in internet, intellectual property and technology cases. He is involved in many boards and organisations, including chairperson of the board of Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), President of AIPPI-NZ Inc, the New Zealand branch of an international organisation of senior intellectual property lawyers, which is a primary adviser to the World Intellectual Property Organisation, and is immediate past chairman of the Asia Pacific Top Level Domain Association, and of Internet NZ.


Background on the Copyright Tribunal


The Copyright Tribunal is a statutory body constituted under the Copyright Act 1994. The tribunal hears disputes between licensing bodies, or proposed licensing bodies, and those who hold or seek licences in respect of works of copyright.


Organisations or individuals who wish to use copyright works may apply to a licensing body, who establish licensing schemes on behalf of copyright owners, to grant a licence to use such copyright works. Where a dispute arises between these parties (usually in respect to royalties) the matter can be referred to the tribunal. It can then choose whether to hear the case, and has the jurisdiction to confirm, or vary the scheme as it sees fit.


The tribunal consists of a chairperson and two members, who are appointed by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Minister of Commerce. The tribunal is currently composed of Professor Susy Frankel (Chairperson), Judith Fyfe and Paul Sumpter.