Quote:
Originally Posted by neilmarr
My feeling is that publishers themselves must make a stand against inflated retail prices to drive down the crazy prices demanded in pretty well all Australian shops.
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Hi Neil
Unfortunately in Australia it is most often the local publishers themselves who are pushing for higher prices, with the nonsensical idea that no Australian writers would ever be published again if parallel imports were allowed. I kid you not, that was the basic theme of the publicity campaign last year. In fact, so successful were they that the govt announced that there would not be any changes right before (as in, a matter of hours or possibly minutes) a nationally televised debate on the issue. I watched it anyway but had to switch it off after a while because Louise Adler was so rude, arrogant, overbearing and smug.
This is why I am really concerned about this review. Rather than imagining that the govt is looking to increase competition and reduce barriers to entry, I think it's much more likely, on recent past record, that the publishing industry will seek to raise additional barriers.
http://www.cheaperbooks.com.au/
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/conte...8/s2564086.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2009/s2740019.htm
http://www.npc.org.au/speakerarchive/bookdeb.html