Pirate Party Australia has finished its analysis of documents released under the Freedom of Information Act, and has found evidence that former Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, supports schemes that “must be educative and aim to change social norms.”[1]

In September of 2011, the Attorney-General’s Department convened talks with internet service providers (ISPs) and representatives of the content industry (such as AFACT), to discuss progress on co-operative anti-piracy strategies. Not only does Mr McClelland promote a consumer-excluding “industry-based solution,”[2] it also appears that he was more than prepared to force social change in order to prop-up the dying content industries.

The planned opening statement acknowledges that copyright owners suing internet service providers for ‘authorising’ infringement by their subscribers is inadequate, because it “does not affect the social norm that piracy is acceptable.”[3] The Government “is aware that industry would prefer to self-regulate on this issue.”[4]

“Since when is it the place of industry to tell society what to do? If anyone should adapt, it’s the industry, not us. Mr McClelland’s suggestions that ‘social norms’ should be changed is not reflective of a government acting in their electorate’s interests. It is reflective of a government that would happily allow industry to manipulate the minds of Australian citizens,” said Mozart Palmer, spokesperson for Pirate Party Australia.

“If piracy is a social norm, it is the industry that must adapt. They acknowledge that file-sharing is a natural occurrence. It is what humans feel the need to do – to share. And yet the industry and government officials are considering brainwashing us into believing it is a malicious practice. I challenge them to find any non-commercial ‘pirate’ who acts maliciously. Sharing is taught in our kindergartens – would the Government change that as quickly?” he continued.

It is claimed no record of the meeting proceedings exists, and, as of yet, no results of the roundtable discussions have come forward. Mr McClelland was removed from his position by the Prime Minister in December 2011, and Pirate Party Australia are waiting for the new Attorney-General, Nicola Roxon, to give her stance on copyright infringement.

[1] https://pirateparty.org.au/media/documents/Serkowski%20-%20part%20(b)(3).pdf
[2] https://pirateparty.org.au/2012/01/10/former-attorney-general-ignores-consumers-supports-industry-instead/
[3] https://pirateparty.org.au/media/documents/Serkowski%20-%20part%20(c)(1).pdf
[4] (See above).