Printers, publishers and politicians protest in Melbourne

Bendigo Federal MP, Steve Gibbons, joins Victorian printers in their fight to keep the 30-day rule.

Dozens of workers from McPherson’s Print Group in Maryborough will attend a rally tomorrow, Wednesday 11 November at 10 am outside the Commonwealth Government building, 4 Treasury Place, Spring Street Melbourne.

Printing Industries general manager, Victoria and Tasmania, Ron Patterson, said that while the Federal Government itself was split on what to do about the Productivity Commission’s recommendation for an end to territorial copyright, pressure had to be maintained.

“The recent attempt by the Federal Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs, Craig Emerson, to broker a compromise to retain the territorial copyright provisions in name, but require local copyright holders to publish immediately, abandoning the 30-day provision, is an unworkable sham,” he said.

According to Patterson, if the Productivity Commission’s recommendations were accepted, it would result in an immediate devastating impact on the book printing and publishing industry followed by a second wave impact on the commercial printing sector as book printers looked to find new markets to fill their extensive production capacity.

“This is an issue that affects all of us and we must all pull together to achieve a sensible and acceptable outcome,” he said.

Bendigo Federal MP, Steve Gibbons will attend and speak at the rally in support of the Maryborough contingent and book printers in general.

"McPherson’s Print Group workers from Maryborough will attend the rally along with authors, publishers, book retailers and others interested in supporting the campaign," Gibbons said.

"There will be a group of speakers addressing the rally including high profile authors, publishers and trade union representatives."

Gibbons said he had no hesitation agreeing to participate. "It's vital that the message gets through loud and clear on just what the proposed changes will do to the future wellbeing of all involved in this important industry,” he said.