PIAA welcomes Book Industry Strategy Group

Hagop Tchamkertenian, national manager for policy and government affairs for Printing Industries says having persuaded the government to support the industry against the Productivity Commission’s recommendations to remove the parallel importation restrictions on books, the government has now laid the foundations for a book industry development plan.

He says, “The Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr, has been very clear in his objective in wanting more than just a report. He has said he wants a ‘way forward’ and Printing Industries fully supports this approach.”

Tchamkertenian continues, “Mr Carr said he wanted to see book printers, publishers, distributors and retailers together in one room collaborating with each other and taking responsibility for transforming their industry in a way that ensures its future sustainability.”

Carr say the strategy group would bring together representatives from across the industry to map out the way forward and would develop strategies to address the key issues of supply chain integration and development of viable business models for the digital age.

Carr continues, “The written word may be almost as old as human civilisation itself but this doesn’t mean we can ignore the very real and very rapid advances being made in digital publishing technologies.

“We are moving into an environment in which the printed book is just one platform among many. We have a proud and distinguished literary history in this country thanks to the work of generations of talented authors, publishers and local book manufacturers.”

Carr outlines that the group would be able to tap into the Federal Government’s existing $50m a year Enterprise Connect programme and a broad range of other programmes currently in place to assist business transformation.

The Book Industry Strategy Group will operate according to precise terms of reference and is expected to report back within 12 months.

 

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