Law Internet Resources

Communications and Media Law

• Legislation
• Court and Tribunal decisions, law reports etc
• Key National Bodies
• Key Publications
• Links to Other Australian Sites (State organisations, Pathfinders, Directories etc)
• Overseas Sites

Key Legislation

• Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983
• Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005
  

  Establishes the Australian Communications & Media Authority (ACMA) from 1 July 2005.

• Broadcasting Services Act 1992 Regulates commercial radio and television (content, ownership etc)

  • Broadcasting codes of conduct
• Do Not Call Register Act 2006
• Spam Act 2003
• Special Broadcasting Service Act 1991 Regulates SBS radio and television
• Telecommunications Act 1997 Regulates the communications industry
  • Telecommunications Code of Practice 1997
• Telstra Corporation Act 1991
• Radiocommunications legislation (via ACMA)
• Telecommunications legislation (via ACMA)

Court and Tribunal decisions, law reports etc

• Australian Press Council Decisions 1976+
• Federal Court of Australia Hears matters arising under federal media and telecommunications laws

Key National Bodies

• Australia. Parliament. House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications, Information Technology and the Arts
• Australia. Parliament. Senate Standing Committee on Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts
  Reports and hearings into telecommunications and broadcasting legislation
• Australia. Parliament. Senate Select Committee on Information Technologies
  Reports and hearings into Internet legislation and regulation (gambling, censorship etc); ceased to exist from 7 December 2000
• Australian Communications & Media Authority (ACMA)
  Established from 1 July 2005. It was formed by the merger of the Australian Communications Authority (ACA) and the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA). ACMA is responsible for the regulation of broadcasting, radiocommunications, telecommunications and online content.
  • Do Not Call Register
• Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA)
  The peak body in Australia for the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry, AIIA works across many areas to assist the ICT industry to meet its business objectives in corporate and government markets.
• Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA)
  AMTA is the peak industry body representing Australia's mobile telecommunications industry.
• Australian Telecommunications Users Group (ATUG)

Not-for-profit membership-based organisation of Australian telecommunications users.

• Centre for Media and Communications Law (CMCL)
  The CMCL at the University of Melbourne is a centre for the research, discussion and teaching of all aspects of media and communications law and policy.
• Communications Alliance

The Communications Alliance was formed in 2006 to provide a unified voice for the Australian communications industry and to lead it into the next generation of converging networks, technologies and services. Communications Alliance has formed by the merger of the Australian Communications Industry Forum (ACIF) and the Service Providers Association Inc (SPAN).

• Communications and Media Law Association (CAMLA)
  CAMLA is an association of professionals and academics interested in law and policy relating to communications and the media.
  • Communications Law Bulletin
• Communications Law Centre (CLC)

An independent, non-profit, public interest organisation specialising in media, communications and online law and policy.

• Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE)     
• Internet Industry Association
  Australia's national Internet industry organisation.
  • Internet Industry Association Spam Code of Practice: the code applies to all internet service providers in Australia, as well as global email service providers providing services in Australia. Code obligations came into force on 16 July 2006.
• Internet Society of Australia (ISOC-AU)
  Non-profit organisation which promotes development of the Internet in Australia to benefit the whole community, including business, academic, professional, and private Internet users.
• La Trobe University Online Media Program
  Conducts research into the social and economic implications of Internet-based communications.
• NetAlert
  

  NetAlert is part of the Australian Government's ongoing commitment to providing a safe online environment for all families, especially children.

• Online and Communications Council
  

  The Online and Communications Council (OCC) operates as the peak ministerial forum across governments to consider and reach agreement on strategic approaches on information and communications issues of a national importance.

• Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO)
  

  The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman is a free and independent alternative dispute resolution scheme for small business and residential consumers in Australia who have a complaint about their telephone or Internet service.

• Telephone Information Services Standards Council (TISSC)
  Independent regulatory body that sets fair standards for the message content and advertising of any Australian telecommunication service with the prefix 190, in the form of a Code of Practice.

Key Publications

• Halsburys Laws of Australia. Title 275. Media and Communications
  Commercial publication. Not available outside Parliament without a subscription.
• The Laws of Australia (Thomson) Title 6. Communications
  Commercial publication. Not available outside Parliament without a subscription.
• Media Update (Blake Dawson Waldron)
  Select "Publications" from the main menu
• Communications Update (Freehills)

Select "Publications" from the main menu

Journal articles, reports etc.

• 2007 Tuning in to Community Broadcasting Second report of the Inquiry into community broadcasting. (Australia. Parliament. House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications, Information, Technology and the Arts)
• 2007 Community Television: Options For Digital Broadcasting First report of the Inquiry into community broadcasting. (Australia. Parliament. House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications, Information, Technology and the Arts)
• 2006 Ready, Get Set, Go Digital - A Digital Action Plan for Australia - released by the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts on 23 November 2006
• 2006 Report on Broadcasting Services Amendment (Media Ownership) Bill 2006 & related bills (Australia. Parliament. Senate Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Committee)
• 2006 Provisions of the Do Not Call Register Bill 2006 and Do Not Call Register (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2006 (Australia. Parliament. Senate Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Committee)
• 2006 Digital Television: Who's Buying It? Inquiry into the uptake of digital television in Australia (Australia. Parliament. House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications, Information, Technology and the Arts)
• 2005 The performance of the Australian telecommunications regulatory regime. (Australia. Parliament. Senate Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Committee)
• 2005 A lost opportunity? Inquiry into the powers of Australia's communications regulators (Australia. Parliament. Senate Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Committee)
• 2003 Digital Television and Datacasting (K. Jackson, Commonwealth Parliamentary Library)
• 2002 Radiocommunications Inquiry Report (Productivity Commission)
• 2002 Report on Broadcasting Services Amendment (Media Ownership) Bill 2002 (Australia. Parliament. Senate Standing Committee on Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts)
• 2002 Media ownership regulation in Australia (K. Jackson, Commonwealth Parliamentary Library)
• 2002 Household broadband access in Australia (K. Jackson, Commonwealth Parliamentary Library)
• 2000 Review of Broadcasting Legislation (Productivity Commission)

Links to Other Australian Sites (Pathfinders, Directories etc)

• via AUSTLII
• Cyberspace Law and Policy Centre: A Centre for the Public Interest in Networked Transactions. (Faculty of Law, University of NSW).
• Peter Black's Freedom to Differ: a blog about legal and policy issues facing the media and the internet.
• Parliamentary Library censorship law information
  Directory of sites relating to broadcasting and internet censorship.
• WEBLAW guide to Media and Telecommunications Law on the Internet
  Brings together Australian and overseas sites.

Overseas Sites

• European Association for the Protection of Encryted Works and Services (AEPOC)
  AEPOC's main objectives and policy directions are aimed at developing adequate and increasingly effective instruments to combat digital media piracy and secure digital growth.

• United States Communications Law (Cornell University)
• United States Communications Law (University of Chicago)
• United States Media Law (Cornell University)
• United States Guide to Internet Law (The Internet Society)
  Links to US legislation and cases on internet issues.

Links to Overseas Sites

• via AUSTLII
• via Hieros Gamos

Comments to: catherine.lorimer@aph.gov.au
Last reviewed 15 January 2008 by the Parliamentary Library Web Manager
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