“New Wikileaks cables indicate that the US has been keeping a close watch on IP enforcement policy in New Zealand, going so far as to propose funding anti-piracy efforts there to the tune of around $427,000. US diplomats have also offered to help New Zealand rewrite its ‘three strikes’ illegal file sharing law.”
I’m from NZ, and this is not good. Very uncool……
Someone had what seemed like a good idea in this area.
Copyright would last for ten years, and would then lapse. Sounds like a good, simple idea (so it probably won’t be implemented).
If people in the US think their politicians are bad, you should see some of the muppets we’ve got in NZ.
( Arrrrgh! muppets! copyright! )
Once again we see the long arm of American imperialism rearing its ugly head in New Zealand politics – if it isn’t dumping F16 fighter jets on us, demanding a DCMA equivalent, reducing MAF criteria on US exported goods imported into NZ (and in return NZ getting a third rate free trade agreement that favours the US more than NZ), it is America one again demanding that we change our copyright laws to reflect their draconian stance.
Obsidian, did you see the parliamentary debates on the matter? dear god it was pathetic seeing grumpy old men and women getting up ranting and raving about ‘kids these days’ and how they ‘don’t respect the artists’. Just when things couldn’t get worse Nick Smith (yes, the guy who looks like a pill popping alcoholic) got up and tried to wave the flag of patriotism saying that the law will protect ‘national treasures’ like Dave Dobbyn (I’d love to hear what his take on the whole matter is. I’d say he makes a heck of a lot more off concerts than off CD sales. Btw I am a big Dave Dobbyn fan.)
Btw, the youth wings of the different parties completely disagree with what the main parties are saying; even the ACT Party (to which I am a member) youth wing in most part disagrees with the law change. It is an interesting situation to be where I am and be a vocal critic of the US
Edited 2011-05-04 00:35 UTC
Hi –
I only saw the YouTube (arrgh! copyright!) video clip of Katrina Shanks. Arrrrrrgh….. She came across as having the I.Q. of an amoeba.
It’s good that at least the youth wings of the parties “get it”. Very annoying and frustraing to be ruled from Washington D.C.
I’m sure that Helen Clark would like to get her U.N. talons on New Zealand again as well.
NZ, we might grant you independence.
Aren’t there more important thing that money could be used for? I know it’s not a huge amount of money, but it could still be spent more wisely.
Hey this is really interesting, I already suspected corporate interests in the US had put pressure on the NZ government to rush these new laws through parliament. Its damn dishonest.