The Bill, introduced in Parliament yesterday, gives educational and cultural institutions the same legal certainty and protection that currently applies to commercial internet service providers.

It protects them from legal action if a user on their server posts copyright-infringing material – and the institution takes reasonable steps to protect copyright owners.

Universities Australia Chief Executive Belinda Robinson thanked Communications Minister Mitch Fifield for proposing the legislation – and noted UA had been long-term advocates for this step.

“This is an important change to our copyright system and will extend protections that already apply to commercial internet service providers to institutions that work for the public benefit,” she said.

“Australian universities provide email accounts, internet access and online platforms to hundreds of thousands of students for educational purposes,” she said.

“It is common sense to extend these protections to Australia’s universities, who work closely with copyright holders to address infringement, and we urge the Parliament to support the legislation.”

“Universities Australia thanks the Government for taking these important steps to update the nation’s copyright laws for the digital era,” Ms Robinson said.