It is important to note that copyright does not protect an idea or information, it protects the way the idea or information is expressed. Once the idea or information has been documented, copyright protection is granted automatically under copyright law in Australia.

The law that governs copyright in Australia is the Copyright Act 1968, and allows the creator to grant licenses to others to use their work, for example, performing a musical work in public. However, rights vary depending on whether or not the work is published.

• Literary works
• Artistic works
• Dramatic works
• Musical works
• Sound recordings
• Films
• Radio and television broadcasts
• Published editions of works