On 26 July 2007, the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)
Copyright Treaty and the Performances and Phonograms Treaty came into
force in Australia. The treaties are known as the Internet treaties
and protect copyright in the online environment. There are over 60
other parties to the treaties including the USA, Japan and China.

The coming into force of the treaties means that Australian creators
and performers will enjoy digital-age protection for their creative
output in other treaty‑member countries.

It also means that Australia’s performers will enjoy the right to be
known and respected for their performances in a similar way to authors
and film-makers.  Now that Australia is a party to the WIPO Performance
and Phonograms Treaty, provisions currently set out in Note 2 of the
Copyright Act for performers’ moral rights come into operation as new
Part IX.

A fact sheet outlining moral rights for authors, film-makers and performers is available.