{"id":"F2023L00204","name":"Public Lending Right Scheme (Electronic Books and Audiobooks) Modification 2023","slug":"public-lending-right-scheme-electronic-books-and-audiobooks-modification-2023","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":441750,"registerId":"F2023L00204-fast-fetch-1775956975375","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Public Lending Right Scheme (Electronic Books and Audiobooks) Modification 2023","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\nmeta-generator: Aspose.Words for .NET 22.10.0\ntitle: Attachment A Public Lending Right Scheme (Electronic Books and Audiobooks) Modification 2023\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![Commonwealth Coat of Arms of Australia](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nPublic Lending Right Scheme (Electronic Books and Audiobooks) Modification 2023\n\nI, Tony Burke, Minister for the Arts, make the following instrument.\n\nDated 7 March 2023\n\nTony Burke\n\nMinister for the Arts\n\n \n\nContents\n\n1  Name\n\n2  Commencement\n\n3  Authority\n\n4  Schedules\n\nSchedule 1—Modifications\n\nPublic Lending Right Scheme 2016\n\n \n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Public Lending Right Scheme (Electronic Books and Audiobooks) Modification 2023.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n  The whole of this instrument commences on the day after it is registered.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under paragraph 5(1)(b) of the Public Lending Right Act 1985.\n\n4  Schedules\n\n  The Public Lending Right Scheme 2016 is modified as set out in Schedule 1 to this instrument.\n\nSchedule 1—Modifications\n\nPublic Lending Right Scheme 2016\n\n1  Section 3 (definition of book)\n\nRepeal the definition, substitute:\n\nbook means a work that has been published, and includes:\n\n (a) printed books;\n\n (b) electronic books; and\n\n (c) audiobook versions of the kinds of works referred to in paragraphs (a) or (b),\n\nbut excludes:\n\n (d) magazines and other serial publications;\n\n (e) books designed for a single use (for example sticker books and workbooks); and\n\n (f) any other material determined by the Committee to be excluded from the Scheme.\n\nNote: A determination under paragraph (f) is a legislative instrument within the definition of the Legislation Act 2003.\n\n2  Subsection 6(5)\n\nOmit “reprinting”, substitute “re-releasing”.\n\n3  Paragraph 8(1)(e)\n\nBefore “who”, insert “in the case of a printed book,”.\n\n4  Paragraph 8(2)(e)\n\nBefore “who”, insert “in the case of a printed book,”.\n\n5  Paragraph 10(1)(d)\n\nAfter paragraph 10(1)(d), insert “and”.\n\n6  Paragraph 10(1)(e)\n\nAfter paragraph 10(1)(e), omit “; and”.\n\n7  Paragraph 10(1)(f)\n\nRepeal the paragraph.\n\n8  Subsection 10(1) (second note)\n\nRepeal the note.\n\n9  Subsection 10(3)\n\nOmit “reprint”, substitute “re-release”.\n\n10  Subsection 11(4)\n\nOmit “reprinted”, substitute “re-released”.\n\n \n\n11  Section 12 (heading)\n\nRepeal the heading, substitute:\n\n12   Revised or re-released editions\n\n12  Subsection 12(1)\n\nOmit “re-issued”, substitute “re-released”.\n\n13  Subsection 12(2)\n\nOmit “re-issued”, substitute “re-released”.\n\n14  Subsection 14(2)\n\nRepeal the subsection, substitute:\n\n (2) The creators’ public lending right rate of payment is provided by the following table:\n\n| Estimated number of copies of a book | Rate of payment |\n| --- | --- |\n| 50 copies or more | $2.19 per copy |\n| Table item not currently in use | Table item not currently in use |\n\n\n15  Subsection 15(2)\n\nRepeal the subsection, substitute:\n\n (2) The publishers’ public lending right rate of payment is provided by the following table:\n\n| Estimated number of copies of a book | Rate of payment |\n| --- | --- |\n| 50 copies or more | 54.75 cents per copy |\n| Table item not currently in use | Table item not currently in use |\n\n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose: compensating creators for library lending. The expansion to e-books and audiobooks is a natural evolution of the existing scheme rather than scope creep. The modifications modernise the 2016 Scheme without adding new categories of beneficiaries, new types of institutions, or unrelated policy objectives."},"complexity_factors":["Short instrument (only 15 modification items)","Simple definitional changes and terminology updates","Straightforward substitution of payment rate tables with flat-rate structure","No nested conditional logic or complex cross-referencing","Single subject matter focus (expanding PLR to digital formats)","Minimal defined terms (relies on existing Scheme definitions)"],"plain_english_summary":"This legislation modernises Australia’s Public Lending Right by explicitly bringing e‑books and audiobooks into the scheme, updating terminology to cover digital re‑releases, clarifying that the “held” requirement applies to print only, and replacing complex tiered payments with flat rates (A$2.19 per copy for creators, 54.75c for publishers for works held in 50+ libraries).\n\nIt affects Australian authors, illustrators, editors, publishers, public libraries and the administering department — ensuring creators of digital formats are paid when libraries lend their work."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Yes. The instrument expands the Scheme’s coverage by redefining “book” to expressly include electronic books and audiobooks (Schedule 1, item 1; Section 3), while preserving specified exclusions and adding Committee power to determine further exclusions (Section 3(f)). It updates terminology to cover digital re‑releases (items 2, 9–13) and specifies per‑copy payment rates for creators and publishers for books with estimated 50+ copies (subsections 14(2) and 15(2)). Mechanically, this broadens who may receive payments and introduces administrative tasks to count/estimate digital and audio copies and apply Committee determinations."},"complexity_factors":["Expansion of the statutory definition of “book” to include electronic books and audiobooks (Schedule 1, item 1; amends Section 3) increases scope of covered formats.","Committee discretion to exclude material by determination (Schedule 1, item 1(f); Section 3(f)) creates delegated rule‑making and administrative discretion (note: such a determination is a legislative instrument).","Terminology changes from “reprint/re-issued/reprinted” to “re-release/re-released/re-releasing” affect eligibility timing and cross‑references across multiple provisions (Schedule 1, items 2, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13).","Targeted textual edits to eligibility and paragraph structure (Schedule 1, items 3–8) alter statutory tests that implementors must apply, requiring careful updating of guidance and systems.","Explicit per‑copy payment tables set fixed rates for creators ($2.19 per copy) and publishers (54.75 cents per copy) for books with estimated 50+ copies (Schedule 1, subsections 14(2) and 15(2)), requiring methods to estimate and record copy counts across physical and digital holdings.","Removal of certain paragraphs and notes simplifies some language but may shift interpretive reliance onto remaining provisions and any Committee determinations."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument updates the Public Lending Right Scheme to treat a “book” as printed books, electronic books and audiobooks, clarifies language about revised or re‑released editions, and fixes per‑copy payment rates for creators and publishers for books with estimated 50+ copies. It affects creators and publishers by extending scheme coverage to digital formats and specifying how payments are calculated; it matters because it changes who can claim payments and how copies are counted and paid for."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/public-lending-right-scheme-electronic-books-and-audiobooks-modification-2023","history":"/api/acts/public-lending-right-scheme-electronic-books-and-audiobooks-modification-2023/history","analysis":"/api/acts/public-lending-right-scheme-electronic-books-and-audiobooks-modification-2023/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/public-lending-right-scheme-electronic-books-and-audiobooks-modification-2023/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/public-lending-right-scheme-electronic-books-and-audiobooks-modification-2023/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/public-lending-right-scheme-electronic-books-and-audiobooks-modification-2023/documents"}}