Rt Hon Helen Clark
Prime Minister of New Zealand
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage

22 May 2008 Media Statement

Recognition for New Zealand authors in Budget 08

Prime Minister and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Helen Clark announced today that New Zealand authors have gained well-deserved recognition with an additional $2 million over four years being invested in the New Zealand Authors Fund.

Helen Clark today also announced that the government is developing new, stand alone legislation to establish a New Zealand Public Lending Right (NZPLR), to replace the Authors’ Fund.

“Like other similar schemes throughout the world, the New Zealand initiative will give authors a right to receive payments in recognition of the public benefit derived from the free use of their works in libraries, subject to eligibility criteria,” Helen Clark said.

“The New Zealand Public Lending Right will be administered by a government department, with input from an external advisory group.

“The New Zealand Public Lending Right is a response to concerns raised by authors over a number of years about the Authors’ Fund. Entrenching the scheme in its own legislation and placing its administration within a government department will give the scheme greater statutory protection and remove the risk of it being subject to changes to another agency’s legislation.

“The Authors’ Fund will continue to operate, as currently administered by Creative New Zealand, until the new Public Lending Right is established. The additional $500,000 per annum is available to Creative New Zealand for the Authors’ Fund, thus raising the Fund’s budget to $2 million per annum, as part of Budget 2008.

“I am delighted to announce the new initiative and additional funding for the current scheme. Both will go some further way towards recognising the vital role our authors play in our cultural life. Many New Zealanders rely on libraries providing works by favourite, or newly discovered New Zealand authors. Our literature is a great gift to our nation and one we should never take for granted,” Helen Clark said.

ENDS

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