Thanks for your comments, guys. They've been food for thought. And yes, it's something that I've been thinking about quite a bit lately.
So, here's the conversation that I'm having in my head. On one side, we have Andrew-the-literature-buff, who cares about the Australian literary industry. On the other side, we have Andrew-the-librarian, who wants books to be cheaper, and therefore more accessible to the Australian people.
Librarian: Books cost too much! Rah!
Lit-buff: Yes, they do. What's your point?
Librarian: Well, books are so much cheaper overseas! Why can't we get them here?
Lit-buff: Well you can, but wouldn't you rather support Australian publishers and authors.
Librarian: But they charge too much for books. if we get rid of Parallel Importation Restrictions (PIRs), then books will be cheaper.
Lit-buff: Um, no. PIRs have no bearing on the actual cost of the production of Australian books.
Librarian: But the Australian publishing industry have a monopoly on the Australian market. Bringing in some competition will surely drive down the cost of locally-produced books, yes?
Lit-buff: It's possible. It's also possible that the Australian book industry can't afford to reduce the prices of locally-produced books to compete with the international market. Especially if they are allowed to compete on our turf, but we can't compete on theirs because their countries are retaining their PIRs.
Librarian: But there would still be cheaper books!
Lit-buff: UK and US editions of books, whereby your money would go to US and UK publishers, and a smaller royalty to the author.
Librarian: They're not *that* much different. And really, the question of royalties shouldn't come into this argument. That's up to the author and the publisher to negotiate. If they go for a crappy book deal, that's their problem.
Lit-buff: I can't believe you actually said that.
Librarian: No, neither can I. My point is that the outcome of this recommendation *shouldn't* affect how much authors are being paid. Their books will be sold, one way or another. And they might get paid less per overseas copy of their book, but if they are cheaper books, it is likely that they will sell more books. It all evens out, right?
Lit-buff: You don't sound so sure. Besides, you've totally avoided the issue of Australian editions being replaced by overseas editions. They're NOT the same. The language is subtly different. They're representative of a society that isn't our own.
Librarian: Not substantially. I mean, yes, when it comes to some spellings. But the Macquarie English Dictionary accepts most American spellings as Australian nowadays. Stop being a linguistic pedant and get with the program!
Lit-buff: Okay, fine, you can have that one. But I'm still not convinced that the removal of PIRs won't result in the demise of smaller publishing houses and independent booksellers.
Librarian: That's capitalism, baby. Why should some have it easier, at the expense of the consumer? Open up the market and let some healthy competition even things out. Sure, there will be some victims, but the market will be healthier for it.
Lit-buff: That's bullshit. You made that up, didn't you?
Librarian: *sigh* Yes.
Lit-buff: So, what you're saying is that selling out our book industry to the international market is worth the chance to have cheaper books from overseas, even if it means possibly reducing the already-pitiful income of writers, putting smaller publishers and booksellers out of business, and minimising the opportunities for new and emerging writers to get published. Whilst, at the same time, we will undoubtedly boosting business for overseas publishers and writers. The benefits for overseas publishers for writers are absolutely certain, whereas the future of our own Australian literary culture will be uncertain.
Librarian: ...
Lit-buff: But the people who have the most to gain from these recommendations aren't the Australian people. It's the multi-national corporations who can afford to drop prices whilst still maximising their profit margins by flooding the market with cheap leftovers from overseas. The Australian people might be paying less than before, but their money will be going straight into the pockets of corporate profiteers, and not the Australian creative industry.
Librarian: Look... all I'm saying is that we shouldn't have to pay more for a book here in Australia than people do over in the UK and the US. That's all I care about. That's my issue.
Lit-buff: Well my issue is that removing PIRs doesn't actually deal with that problem.
Librarian: Okay, I'll agree with you there. So, why is it exactly that books are more expensive here than overseas? They have Parallel Importation Restricts over there too.
Lit-buff: I have no idea. However, it seems to me that there are probably more constructive ways to regulate the price of books, other than by simply trying to force prices down by bringing in overseas competition which will close down any businesses who simply cannot compete, and force writers to try to get international publishing deals if they hope to be able to sell their books in their own country.
Librarian: Ugh, that sounds way too complicated to even try to contemplate. I guess I'll settle for more expensive books. Better the devil you know, after all.
Lit-buff: Hey, you're a librarian. You know better than most that you don't actually *have* to buy books to read them - you can borrow them at the public library. In fact, the very existence of public libraries means that you shouldn't need to have an opinion in this matter, as a librarian.
Librarian: Somebody over at ALIA co-produced a submission on the matter. I thought it was relevant to my profession. Now, I'm not so sure. However, as a librarian, I'm also keen to promote and preserve our literary cultural heritage.
Lit-buff: Even if it means paying more for Australian books?
Librarian: Yes.
Lit-buff: Good. Then we're agreed.
*GROUP HUG*
*Andrew goes to sleep*
