GREENWOOD J:
1 These proceedings are concerned with an application under s 115A of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) (the "Act"). Section 115A was introduced into the Act by the Copyright Amendment (Online Infringement) Act 2015 (Cth). The section was then amended by the Copyright Amendment (Online Infringement) Act 2018 (Cth). Although s 115A has nine subsections addressing a range of topics, subsection (1) provides that the owner of a copyright may apply to this Court for the grant of an injunction that requires a carriage service provider to take such steps as the Court considers reasonable to disable access to an online location outside Australia that "(a) infringes, or facilitates an infringement, of the copyright; and (b) has the primary purpose or the primary effect of infringing, or facilitating an infringement, of copyright (whether or not in Australia)".
2 These reasons explain the basis for the orders made by the Court on Thursday, 25 March 2021. The orders contain a series of definitions which give coherence to each of the orders. To the extent that any term is used in these reasons which is a defined term in the definition section introducing the orders, that term in these reasons has the meaning attributed to it in that definition section.
3 The applicant, Gardner Industries Pty Ltd ("GI"), as trustee for the S M Gardner Family Trust, has a website which, for present purposes, is sufficiently defined as the "GI website". To the extent that is necessary to explain the characteristics of a website, the following observation of Jessup J in Dais Studio Pty Ltd and Another v Bullet Creative Pty Ltd and Another (2007) 165 FCR 92 at [3] is relevantly applicable to the website the subject of these proceedings:
The computer data for the images, words, numbers etc that, to the viewer, constitute the site are contained in files located on the server for the site. So are the functional files which cause the site to operate as intended. The construction of a commercial site of any complexity is necessarily a specialised task, and one which would normally (at least according to the assumptions by reference to which this proceeding has been conducted by the parties) be carried out by professional web developers … and the organisations which employ them …
4 GI caused its original website to be constructed in 2010 by Digicon Pty Ltd ("Digicon"). However, GI then took steps to refresh and rewrite its original website and for that purpose it retained Web Design Magic Pty Ltd ("WDM") to "rebuild" the old website. The rebuilt website "first went live" in Australia on 1 June 2016. The history of these matters is set out in the extensive affidavit of Mr Stephen Gardner who is a director of GI and based on his affidavit, Mr Gardner seems to be the guiding mind of GI. Matters relating to the history of these events are also set out in the affidavit of Mr Daren Hawes who is a director of WDM.
5 As a result of a number of email exchanges on 20 July 2018 and 21 July 2018, Mr Gardner became aware that GI's website had been interrogated or "hacked" by the conduct of particular persons. That became more clear on 4 August 2018 when Mr Gardner became aware that a "hacking incident" had taken place. The nature of that event is set out in Mr Gardner's affidavit at [34] to [38] and following. Mr Gardner immediately took steps to try and disable or "take down" three particular websites as described at [48] to [56] of his affidavit. Mr Gardner attempted to achieve that result by issuing notices under the provisions of The Digital Millennium Copyright Act 1998 (US) (the "DMCA"), more formally cited as Pub. L. No. 105-304, 112 Stat. 2860 (Oct. 28, 1998).
6 On or about 19 January 2020, GI first became aware of the Target Online Locations: Gardner at [53]. On 24 January 2020, GI, by its lawyers, issued a DMCA "takedown notice" to one of the Target Online Locations [angelbabes.com]. The takedown notice did not result in the Target Online Location being taken down. The operator of that website filed a counter notice: see the affidavit of Mr Francis Joseph, the solicitor for GI, sworn 3 August 2020 and filed on 11 August 2020 at [2] to [12] of that affidavit. In the affidavits filed on behalf of GI in support of the application, GI asserts that attempts made by it to identify and contact the operators of the Target Online Locations were thwarted. One aspect of that conduct is that in all cases relating to Target Online Locations, the identity of and data related to the operation of each of the Target Online Locations is "hidden" by a service described as "Domains By Proxy" ("DBP"), which is said to operate as a domain registrant shielding the true operator of the website: see the affidavit of Mr Ben Waldeck sworn 22 April 2020 and filed 11 August 2020 at [4] to [11]; the affidavit of Mr Joseph (previously mentioned) at [7] to [10] and [13] to [15].
7 In June 2020, GI became aware of the Supplementary Target Online Locations. Inquiries revealed that these locations were also utilising DBP services. GI caused notifications under s 115A(4) of the Act to be given to carriage service providers (the "CSPs") of GI's intention to apply for injunctive relief in relation to both the Target Online Locations and the Supplementary Target Online Locations.
8 The GI website engages with three copyright works: the "literary text" of which Mr Gardner is the author; the "E&B compilation" of which Mr Gardner is the author; and "computer programs" of which persons associated with WDM were the author. The affidavit material filed in support of the application sets out the relevant facts in relation to the authorship of the various copyright subject matter. On 17 June 2020, Mr Gardner assigned all of the intellectual property rights held by him including the copyright subsisting in the literary text and the E&B compilation to GI. The affidavits also address the facts relating to the development of the computer programs. On 29 June 2020, WDM assigned to GI all of its intellectual property rights in subject matter relating to the development of GI's website, including the copyright subsisting in the computer programs.
9 The CSPs named as respondents in this proceeding were identified through a process undertaken by the solicitors for GI which involved identifying 304 active carrier licences issued to CSPs as identified on the website of the Australian Communications and Media Authority ("ACMA"). A carriage service provider for the purposes of the Act has the same meaning attributed to "carriage service provider" in the Telecommunications Act 1997 (Cth). The process also involved examining closely matters relating to the CSP respondents to applications under s 115A of the Act in the following proceedings: Foxtel Management Pty Ltd v TPG Internet Pty Ltd and Others (2017) 349 ALR 154; [2017] FCA 1041; Roadshow Films Pty Ltd and Others v Telstra Corporation Ltd and Others (2019) 144 IPR 1; [2019] FCA 885; Foxtel Management Pty Ltd v TPG Internet Pty Ltd and Others (2019) 148 IPR 432; [2019] FCA 1450; and Roadshow Films Pty Ltd and Others v Telstra Corporation Ltd and Others (2020) 151 IPR 449; [2020] FCA 507.
10 Prior to the filing of the originating application on 7 August 2020, GI's solicitors sent a letter to each of the prospective respondents advising of GI's intention to make an application under s 115A of the Act. GI's solicitors sought a range of information from the prospective respondents as set out in the affidavits in support of the application, including confirmation that each respondent is a CSP for the purposes of the Telecommunications Act; that each CSP provides consumers of internet services in Australia with access to the internet; and that, if any of the Target Online Locations identified in the originating application are able to be accessed through the internet, does the respondent accept that it provides access to those online locations to users of internet services provided by the CSP.
11 The "Optus Respondents" and the "Vocus Respondents" responded to the letter confirming all relevant matters. The "Telstra Respondents" did not respond to the letter but those respondents have confirmed that they are CSPs for the purpose of the proceeding. At the time of commencing the proceeding, the "TPG" and "Vodafone Respondents" had not responded to the letter but had also confirmed that they are CSPs for the purpose of the proceeding. The respondents were served with the originating application and statement of claim on or about 12 August 2020. All of the respondents have filed "submitting notices" under r 12.01 of the Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth).
12 The affidavit material establishes that the Target Online Locations and the Supplementary Target Online Locations are Online Locations outside of Australia. The Target Online Locations and the Supplementary Target Online Locations give rise to infringements or facilitate infringements of the copyright in the subject matter described in the affidavits and have the primary effect of infringing or facilitating an infringement of the copyright in the subject matter described in the affidavits in support of the application.
13 I am satisfied, having regard to the difficulties arising out of identification of the operators of the Target Online Locations and the Supplementary Target Online Locations each of which are associated with the DBP mechanism described earlier, that the applicant has made reasonable efforts to identify the operators and accordingly the Court dispenses with notification under s 115A(4)(b).
14 Counsel for the applicant submits, and I accept, that in making the orders, the following matters ought to be taken into account. They have been taken into account. Those matters are these:
(a) The flagrancy of the infringement: s.115A(5)(a).
(b) The owner or operator of the Target Online Locations and the Supplementary Target Online Locations demonstrates a disregard for copyright generally, with specific reference to the exchange between the Applicant's solicitors and one Jason Auyeung who appeared to represent the Target Online Location with domain name angelbabes.com: [s.115A(5)(c)].
(c) It is in the public interest to disable access to the Target Online Locations and the Supplementary Target Online Locations and submissions include in this regard:
i. It is in the public interest to protect Australian copyright works.
ii. The public, particularly small to medium enterprises should not bear the burden of legal and associated costs seeking to take action in foreign jurisdictions to protect their copyright.
iii. Failure to protect Australian copyright works undermines the value of copyright and thereby discourages authors to produce works (or subject matter other than works) from being created:
s.115A(5)(g) of the Copyright Act.
(d) The Applicant has notified all CSPs and has made reasonable attempts to notify the operators of the Target Online Locations and the Supplementary Target Online Locations: s.115A(5)(h) of the Copyright Act.
(e) For the reasons set out in the Explanatory Memorandum to the Copyright Amendment (Online Infringement) Bill 2015, there are no other remedies available under this Copyright Act: s.115A(5)(i) of the Copyright Act.
(f) A relevant matter in the circumstances of this case, is that escorts who no longer wish to advertise on the [Website] and may not wish to disclose for their personal reasons, that they did at one stage advertise on the Website, will find that their advertisement will be appearing on one or more of the Target Online Locations and the Supplementary Target Online Locations long after they have withdrawn their advertisement on the Website. This is possibly going to be a problem for those escorts and their families if these sites are permitted to continue to be displayed in Australia: s.115A(5)(k) of the Copyright Act.
[footnotes omitted]
15 The application is supported by a substantial body of affidavit material. It is not necessary to review in these reasons all of the affidavit material. However, the following affidavits are important: the affidavit of Mr Gardner affirmed 1 July 2020; the affidavit of Mr Hawes affirmed 29 June 2020; the affidavit of Mr Ben Waldeck sworn 22 April 2020; the affidavit of Mr Shannan Summers sworn 26 June 2020; the affidavit of Mr Joseph affirmed 3 August 2020; the further affidavit of Mr Joseph affirmed 6 August 2020; the affidavit of Mr Daniel Haines affirmed 7 August 2020; and the affidavit of Mr Malcolm Burrows sworn 30 October 2020.
16 Having regard to all of these considerations, the Court makes the orders as published on Thursday, 25 March 2021.
I certify that the preceding sixteen (16) numbered paragraphs are a true copy of the Reasons for Judgment of the Honourable Justice Greenwood.