APRA AMCOS responds to ‘false’ statements by Peter Strong

APRA AMCOS has published a firm rebuttal to comments made by small business advocate Peter Strong during his National Press Club address on July 29.

Strong, the chief executive of the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA), alleges that APRA AMCOS and One Music Australia are “shadow regulators”. 

In a statement published yesterday, the PRO reminded Strong that its boards are comprised of local musicians elected by its 103,000 members.

“Those members have chosen to appoint APRA AMCOS to license their music rights to businesses that use their music.”

The statement also highlighted that the organisation itself is subject to laws and industry codes.

“APRA AMCOS is itself heavily regulated. It is a company limited by guarantee, subject to the Corporations Act.”

The organisation also refuted Strong’s allegations that it has “the highest copyright rates for music in the world” by labelling the comments “false”, pointing to an international comparative study.

“Australia is the lowest for retail businesses, the third-lowest for hotels and bars, and the median for restaurants.”

Finally, APRA AMCOS rebutted Strong’s claims that upwards of 80% of the organisation’s revenue goes to other countries.

“Around 6 in every 10 dollars of APRA AMCOS licence fees collected are paid to local songwriters and music publishers,” the statement read.

APRA AMCOS published their statement on the same day that its chair, Jenny Morris, addressed the National Press Club in Canberra.

Morris called on policymakers to help build the Australian music scene’s international reputation.

“A good song also builds Australia’s intellectual property assets, generating big incomes, including export earnings, because a good song travels the world finding new performers and new audiences,” Morris said.