Day: December 20, 2013

Phonographic Performance Company of Australia chief executive Dan Rosen.

Australia’s largest record labels have launched legal action against restaurants and cafes that fail to pay licensing fees for background music, which could see more patrons eating in silence.

The Phonographic Performance Company of Australia – which represents about 750 record companies – has also clamped down on fitness centres, shops and nightclubs that flout copyright laws.

But the aggressive enforcement program has infuriated many small business owners, who warn they will use other music exempt from Australian copyright protection, including US artists and most classical music.

The PPCA began Federal Court proceedings on Friday against South Yarra restaurant The Greek Deli and Taverna, which allegedly failed to pay $12,795 in licence fees over more than four years.

Lawyers for the PPCA demanded a $60,000 settlement from the restaurant’s owner, James Pothitos, and warned he could be liable for damages of $200,000 if the dispute went to court.

In August, the Federal Court ordered Collingwood restaurant The Cavallero to pay $2000 in overdue licence fees and almost $70,000 in damages and legal costs. The Smith Street restaurant has since been placed in administration.

Mr Pothitos declined to comment on the copyright dispute involving his Chapel Street restaurant while the matter was before court.

PPCA chief executive Dan Rosen said it was important to protect the rights of musicians and take action against businesses that ignored the relevant licensing fees.

”PPCA’s preference is to establish a licence with a business well and truly before it reaches court … those doing the right thing expect there will be some action taken when competitors attempt to gain an unfair advantage by obtaining a business input without incurring the appropriate costs,” Mr Rosen said.

A PPCA spokesman confirmed the Federal Court had also awarded damages against nightclubs, fitness centres and a beauty salon over the past two years.

But Restaurant and Catering Australia chief executive John Hart said the cost of recorded music in Australia was ”totally ridiculous”, with fees also collected by the Australian Performing Right Association, which represents individual artists and composers.

Mr Hart said restaurants and cafes were increasingly using music that was not covered by Australian copyright laws, or playing the radio.

”The reality is that the PPCA licence catalogue is not that large and a lot of our members are looking at other options. The fees they impose on us are just insane and I doubt whether they represent value in terms of a commercial return,” Mr Hart said.

A Monash University politics lecturer says Sophie Mirabella’s appointment to the board of the Australian Submarine Corporation is not surprising.

Former Member for Indi, Sophie Mirabella, has been appointed as a board member of the Australian Submarine Corporation (ASC).

The ASC builds and maintains ships and submarines for the Royal Australian Navy in South Australia and Western Australia.

Ms Mirabella was appointed to the board by the Minister for Industry, Mathias Cormann, for a three year term alongside senior executives Peter Iancov and Paul Rizzo.

Mr Mathias said Ms Mirabella’s legal background and experience working with the manufacturing industry would make a valuable contribution to the board.

When in federal opposition, Ms Mirabella was the Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry and Science.

Monash University politics lecturer, Nick Economou, said Ms Mirabella’s appointment to the board was not surprising.

“Let’s not forget that politicians do have some skills that could be of some use in an exercise like that,” he said.

“I think we saw many instances of loyalty towards (Mirabella) from the Liberal Party and presumably this is reciprocated.”

Aegean Airlines A321, Wikipedia Commons photo

Australia’s Greek air connections have been in a state of neglect for many years, and are something Etihad clearly intends to address with its newly announced codeshare with Greece’s largest airline, Aegean, from 30 March.

The key element isn’t the  four times weekly Aegean A320 service between Abu Dhabi and Athens on which Etihad will codeshare, as it already flies that route daily.

What matters is that Etihad gains integrated booking and selling right across the Greek market  by placing its booking code on beyond Athens connections flown by Aegean to 16 destinations in Greece and its islands, as well as ten cities elsewhere in Europe.

In its statement Etihad emphasises the benefits this will offer Australians flying to the cities on Aegean network via Abu Dhabi. It would also increase Virgin Australia’s selling opportunities to travellers flying to Greece or elsewhere in Europe.