One of the most outspoken voices in the online piracy debate, Village Roadshow co-chairman Graham Burke, has reversed his decision to boycott a public forum on copyright infringement hosted by Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Mr Burke initially said he would not attend the event because it would be dominated by "crazies" whose hidden agenda is the "theft of movies".
The government has issued a discussion paper proposing new measures to tackle online piracy including the blocking of overseas sites hosting pirated content and making internet service providers more accountable for their customers' unauthorised downloading.
Telstra executive director Jane Van Beelen, iiNet CEO David Buckingham, Foxtel CEO Richard Freudenstein, APRA CEO Brett Cottle and Choice CEO Alan Kirkland will be among the industry representatives at the forum, which Mr Turnbulll will host in Sydney on September 9.
It is understood Attorney-General George Brandis will attempt to attend the forum if other commitments allow.
In an email to Mr Turnbull that was also sent to industry representatives, Mr Burke said:
Dear Malcolm.
My company is not prepared to participate in the forum. As expressed to you previously these Q and A style formats are judged by the noise on the night and given the proposed venue I believe this will be weighted by the crazies.
What is at stake here is the very future of Australian film production itself and it is too crucially important to Australia's economy and the fabric of our society to put at risk with what will be a minuscule group whose hidden agenda is theft of movies.
Sincerely.
Graham.
Mr Burke on Wednesday told Fairfax Media that he had changed his mind and that the event was now "too important" to miss.
"I've been called a wimp, a coward, a traitor to the cause," he said. "I have been one of the most prominent people in the debate so I should be there."
Mr Burke said he had cancelled plans to be overseas on the night of the forum.
Mr Burke is well known for his passionate, at times provocative, statements supporting the Australian film industry and opposing those he believes are complicit in the unauthorised downloading of movies and music.
In the company's submission on copyright infringement to the federal government, Village Roadshow said: "The dangers posed by piracy are so great, the goal should be total eradication or zero tolerance.
"Just as there is no place on the internet for terrorism or paedophilia, there should be no place for theft that will impact the livelihoods of the 900,000 people whose security is protected by legitimate copyright."
In its submission, Village Roadshow accuses internet service provider iinet of acting as a "propaganda machine" by opposing efforts to tackle online piracy.
Village Roadshow has asked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to investigate whether iinet has breached consumer law, which prohibits misleading or deceptive conduct, in its statements on copyright infringement.
Chief regulatory officer of iinet Steve Dalby declined to comment.
Village Roadshow and other production companies unsuccessfully tried to sue iinet in 2012 for failing to take reasonable steps to prevent its customers from downloading and sharing unauthorised copies of films and television programs. The ensuing High Court case set an important precedent in Australian law regarding the responsibility of ISPs to prevent illicit downloading.
