New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has announced the government will throw out the controversial Section 92A of the Copyright Amendment (New Technologies) Act and start again. The provision involved a three strikes and you’re out plan for alleged copyright infringement. "Section 92a is not going to come into force as originally written.

"Richard Stallman's tour of New Zealand has covered issues of copyright and the free software movement. He is fervently against restrictions on sharing, saying such restrictions are an attack on society.

In this must-hear speech on copyright, Stallman introduces the foundation principles of the Free Software movement and then discusses the origins, uses and abuses of the laws of copyright..."

The Free Software Foundation (FSF) alleges that Cisco, famous for making equipment used to route data around the Internet, has infringed on the FSF’s copyright in numerous programs used in their Internet routing equipment marketed under the Linksys brand [...] It’s important to note some differences between how the FSF handles copyright infringement and what the FSF does in their everyday work

"Brazil has just created the best-ever implementation of WIPO Copyright Treaty. In Brazil's version of the law, you can break DRM without breaking the law, provided you're not also committing a copyright violation. And what's more, any rightsholder who adds a DRM that restricts things that are allowed by Brazilian copyright laws ("fair dealing" or "fair use") faces a fine."

Cory Doctorow just gets it. Here is what he said about copyright accusations. “The Internet’s a single wire that delivers freedom of speech, of assembly and of the press — it’s a conduit for civic engagement, health care, employment, education, distant family, love and life.

Not only that, but aspects of this judgement are relevant to what is being suggested for ISPs in the Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) that New Zealand and other countries are currrently negotiating in secret.

"I am still flabbergasted by an excellent speech I heard from the NZ IT Minister, David Cunliffe about Open Source at the New Zealand Open Source Awards recently. The speech was excellently written and delivered, and included some excellent tidbits including..."

A change in New Zealand’s copyright law will see software developers owning their software by default, even when that software is commissioned, and that has led one industry leader to warn of potential abuse.

"...Richard Stallman, of GNU.org and the Free Software Foundation is at GGG on 13th August and will be speaking on Copyright vs Community in the Age of Computer Networks - join UP for a lively discussion on copyright from 3pm in the Level 2 Council Chambers, Wellington Town Hall, 111 Wakefield Street, Wellington, New Zealand..."