Anti-parallel importation petition

[Jacqui Horwood]

I'm calling out to all the Aussie writers and readers here on Crimespace. Save Australian books and literary culture by protesting plans to remove restrictions against parallel importation. Go to the Save Aussie Books website and get the petition signed and sent to parliament. The deadline is September 1 and the petition and associated info can be found at: http://savingaussiebooks.wordpress.com/2009/08/02/petition-against-...

Get into it!!!

[I. J. Parker]

What is parallel importation?

[John McFetridge]

This is from the blog:

Australians have the right to read books written by Australians and published in Australia NOT editions of Australian-authored books that have been republished in the US or the UK, changed to suit the overseas market and then imported here to swamp the market.

We have some similar things in Canada. It's due to the economies of scale. In smaller markets like Australia or Canada a publisher can only print a small fraction of the number of books an American or British publisher can and the cost per book is much more. So, we have protected our publishers by not allowing the foreign editions to flood the market and put domestic publishers out of business.

[I. J. Parker]

Is that foreign editions of Canadian (Australian) authors? Or all foreign editions? I don't seem to be able to get a foothold in non-US English-speaking markets while my French editions are doing extremely well. It makes me think sometimes that being published in the US is not necessarily a good thing.
And I've always wondered why American authors end up with separate English publishers of books that are already published in the US. That may work both ways, by the way. English authors may have separate publishing contracts with British and with US publishers. What is the point of that? Why not distribute all books written in English in all English-speaking countries. I believe that is what happens with books in French and in German already. It creates a much larger marketplace for everyone.

[I. J. Parker]

Ah, and another thought: what is the role of Amazon in all of this. They distribute worldwide.