Digital Copyright and Culture

Abstract

For many years, New Zealand has struggled with how to develop its economy into a knowledge-based economy. Other small market economies have faced similar issues. Intellectual property is an important aspect of such an economy, as are the copyright and other laws that protect intellectual property. In recent years, cultural producers have debated with copyright users on the proper scope of legal protection for intellectual property. Both sides of this debate have utilized concepts of promoting and creating culture as justifications for their stance. Copyright lawmakers have the task of finding a balance between the competing views. This article focuses on the way in which New Zealand copyright law developed and that law's relationship with culture during the years in which Helen Clark was Prime Minister. In particular, this article discusses the copyright law reform undertaken to address the impact of digital technologies.