The National Catholic Education Commission has welcomed proposed amendments to copyright legislation, which prioritise the use of quality source materials in an online environment.
The NCEC said the Copyright Amendment (Remote Learning and Other Measures) Bill 2025, introduced in the House of Representatives yesterday, is a positive step towards recognising the evolving nature of instruction in schools in Australia.
“These amendments are a welcome step from the Albanese Government in recognising the need to reflect contemporary classrooms and ensure teachers are given the legal protections to select and use the best material and methods of instruction for their lessons,” NCEC executive director Jacinta Collins said.
These amendments, which extend protections to parents, guardians and community members in lessons that enhance student learning opportunities, support the fundamental community aspect of Catholic education.
In welcoming the reforms, Ms Collins identified the amendments as a step on a journey that has only just begun.
“We know that the pandemic radically changed how students access learning in and beyond the walls of their classrooms – this amendment is overdue,” Ms Collins said.
“We cannot afford the legislative reforms and protections to lag behind the diversity of pedagogical practice, which ensures access and equity. If we want our teachers accessing the most effective teaching methods, including online instruction where appropriate, we must assure them of their legislative compliance.”
The NCEC said it is essential the amendments are followed by measures to ensure further technological advancements – such as artificial intelligence – are similarly protected.
Catholic Education is also calling on the government to ensure that the complexity of licencing agreements in Australia balances the rights and intellectual property of authors while making sure educational institutions are not encumbered with additional costs and regulatory requirements for use of material for genuine educational purposes.
This would bring Australia in line with jurisdictions such as Singapore, Canada, Japan, the UK, the US and the EU, which all have public-interest exceptions for the use of AI in education.
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Catholic Education supports copyright amendments as a good first step (NCEC)
