Authors condemn book copyright and import proposal as 'massive own goal'

The Australian book industry awards night heard changes would reduce authors’ control of copyright and flood market with cheap overseas editions

Magda Szubanski said she would consider leaving the country and called for writers to go on strike. Richard Flanagan called for the resignation of arts minister, Mitch Fifield. Tim Winton said the Turnbull government was about to kick a “massive own goal”.

On a night designed to celebrate the triumphs of Australian literary culture, there was no escaping the overriding message of doom: that the Australian book industry is in peril because of proposed changes to copyright law and import restrictions.

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