Copyright Act 1968

Country

Australia

Number

Section 239(4)

Effective Date

1969-05-01

Link

https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2017C00414

Summary

Reversionary Rights. Under Australian Copyright Law there is a limited reversionary right that applies to works created between 1 July 1912 and 1 May 1969 set out in section 239(4) of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Background The Copyright Act 1911 (UK) applied in Australia prior to the commencement of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Under The Copyright Act 1911 (UK) section 5(2) contained a reversionary right for authors. The 1911 Act provided that the term of copyright be set at lifetime of the author plus 50 years. In addition, it cut off any assignment or licence that went further than lifetime of the author plus 25 years. There were no hoops for the author or their estate to leap through, the author’s heirs simply receive an automatic reversion of copyright. This reversionary right has been preserved in section 239(4) of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth); and applies in limited circumstances. Text of Section 5(2) – Copyright Act 1911 (UK)

Contributed By

Rocco Rinaldo