Material that is produced and published by an incorporated association may be protected by copyright. Copyright is a type of legal protection under the Commonwealth Copyright Act 1968 for people who express ideas or information in certain forms, such as through writing, music and visual images.
When a piece of work is created, the person or organisation that owns copyright on the work has exclusive rights to control the copying and distribution of the work. In Australia, copyright is automatic once an original work is written down or recorded. It is free and does not have to be applied for.
Copyright is infringed when the exclusive rights of the owner are violated, such as when a copyrighted work is reproduced and used without the owner's permission. This includes downloading, copying and printing material from the Internet. To avoid infringement, it is necessary to obtain permission to copy and use the material from the appropriate person or organization, that is, the copyright owner.
The Australian Copyright Council provides information and training for the public.
PO Box 1986, Strawberry Hills NSW 2012
Telephone: (02) 8815 9777
Email: info@copyright.org.au
Website: www.copyright.org.au
Trademarks
Trademarks are pictures, words or symbols that identify goods or services. Examples could include logos, labels, marketing mascots, banners or slogans. A trademark must be registered for it to be protected by the Commonwealth Trade Marks Act 1995. If an incorporated association has a particular sign or mark that identifies it the public recognises it by, it is worthwhile protecting its use by registering it as a trademark. IP Australia can assist with further information about registering and protecting trademarks:
IP Australia
Telephone: 1300 65 10 10
Email: assist@ipaustralia.gov.au
Website: www.ipaustralia.gov.au