Australian Court Doubles CD Importers' Fines 258
anti-fsck writes "Australia's Full Federal Court today upheld a lower court's decision that music labels Warner Music and Universal Music had engaged in anti-competitive practices in the .au CD market by threatening retailers who imported cheaper CDs. The court also doubled the labels' fine - and the fines for senior label executives - to more than $A2 million. w00, cheap CDs at last? Now if we can only get US-zoned DVDs legalised as well ..." Another reader notes that the U.S. government is busy trying to get Australia to change its laws to increase the profits of U.S. record companies.
The real story? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:The real story? (Score:1, Insightful)
Under heavy lobbying from the US entertainment and software industries, the Office of the US Trade Representative had listed the harmonisation of copyright legislation among issues to be raised with Australian negotiators for the Free Trade Agreement. But the head of the US Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration, Undersecretary Grant Aldonas, said America would not be pushing too hard on intellectual property during the current negotiations.
Re:The real story? (Score:2, Informative)
"Under heavy lobbying from the US entertainment and software industries"
"The US Trade Representative warned parallel importation had led to increasing piracy of DVDs and VCDs."
"The report also highlighted the "relatively low priority" assigned by Australian state and federal police to the enforcement of copyright law"
"He said getting an immediate agreement in place on intellectual property "might be a bridge too far". "
Last sentence: "The
Re:The real story? (Score:3, Insightful)
Given that the Australian Federal government has a long record of rolling over to corporate interests, I can't see them upholding the rights of the man in the street, somehow.
Pretty well summed up by that nice quote from Maynard Keynes to the effect that "capitalism is the absurd belief that the worst of
Re:The real story? (Score:1)
silence! (Score:2)
What business is it of theirs (Score:5, Interesting)
Let the record companies deal with it, not the government of another country.
Yeah, globalization is a bitch. Deal.
Re:What business is it of theirs (Score:5, Insightful)
Americans only like free markets and capitalism when it works in their favor. When it doesn't, they enjoy getting their government meddling with tolls and taxes and what not.
They still have steel-tolls, right?
They're not capitalist, they're as socialist as the rest of us (in Europe) -- it's just that they're either too stupid to see it, or in denial.
Re:What business is it of theirs (Score:2)
Re:What business is it of theirs (Score:5, Insightful)
[fx: reads downthread] Oh dear... The problem here is that different people see different things when they read. When you or I read 'socialist', we see someone who wants the community as a whole owning and controlling industry, and the social and political organisation that goes along with it. Or something along those lines.
But when many Yanks read 'socialist', they seem to see "Filthy! Subversive! Pinko! Dirty! Commie! Bastard! Atheist! Traitor! Die! Die! Die!" instead. Which kind of makes informed political debate rather difficult.
Oh yeah, the community reals owns the industry (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Oh yeah, the community reals owns the industry (Score:2)
The parent post didn't claim that. Ask an average Brit if they think Tony Blair's government is socialist.
Re: What business is it of theirs (Score:2)
Australia, please hit them harder. (Score:5, Interesting)
I am a U.S. Citizen, and I would like nothing more than to see all members of the RIAA and the MPAA dry up and blow away. I am certainly not alone in this view.
I look upon the recent financial woes of many of these corporations with schadenfreude - pleasure at the woes of another.
These organizations are making the US into a police state. They have orchistrated a coordinated attack upon our Bill of Rights, and they make a mockery of copyright law.
That they are suffering now is no great surprise. May it continue.
Bah! (Score:2, Insightful)
Americans only like free markets and capitalism when it works in their favor.
The fact is some of us yanks like to see the these goons get sorted out. There's stuff that costs absurd amounts, or you can't even get in the US, thanks to restrictions on importing bought to us by the very same sphere of influence. They like to get money whether things are coming or going.
Some people like to refer to them as F.O.B. (friends of Bush)
Re:What business is it of theirs (Score:3, Interesting)
The land of no principles (Score:2, Insightful)
Did you see what the Samba team said about SCO? They said that they stand behind the meaning of free software, even when it hurts (==is used by SCO)
This is my point; the Samba team says one thing and they mean it -- they have principles and they obey them -- while the US says one thing and then go on and show that they don't really mean it at all. If "you" truly believe in capitalism and a free market, why can't you stand up for its principles? Show the world that it's right?
The US government is helping U
Re:What business is it of theirs (Score:5, Insightful)
Of course, governments pursue thir own interests, and those of their citizens. Most of the time, that's a reasonable way to act. The annoying thing about the US government, is that it expects everyone else to act to further US interests, and seems surprised and offended when they don't.
Re:What business is it of theirs (Score:2)
The annoying thing about the rest of the world is that it seems to regard this as a uniquely American phenomenon.
Re:What business is it of theirs (Score:3, Informative)
I would believe that if the tariffs were targetted at just those countries that did subsidise their steel production. However, none of the European countries affected by this tariff do subsidise steel production - they simply have a lower cost base due to much more modern production facilities.
Re:What business is it of theirs (Score:2)
That has to be one of the most ridiculously inflammatory and ill-informed statements I have read on Slashdot in recent months. It's not that long ago since certain hawks were trying to convince us that Saddam Hussein was personally responsible for the 9/11 attacks.
Try thinking for yourself. I'm quite sure that not every American can be as cretinous as George W. Bush.
Re:What business is it of theirs (Score:2)
Exactally. They have the biggest stick, and are prepared to use it. They'll put import tarrifs on anything they see as a threat to domestic products, but don't you dare put tariffs on our stuff...even to countries with which they have a free trade agreement. Countires with whom the US is the largest trading partner and have no other cheap market for goods.
A few hundred years? I don
Re:What business is it of theirs (Score:2)
Re:What business is it of theirs (Score:2)
Re:What business is it of theirs (Score:2, Insightful)
If there is more money for American companies then there is more wealth for the U.S.
Since the U.S. makes their laws the laws of the whole world, the whole world should be allowed to vote in the U.S.
Re:What business is it of theirs (Score:2)
I don't consider our current form of government to be particularly respresentative ( I'm in Australia ).
Voting for one lying ( John Howard ), the thieving ( Pauling Hanson ) bastard ( Phillip Ruddock ) over another every 3 or 4 years isn't representative government. I'm sure the same is the case in the US and the UK. In the US, fo
Re:What business is it of theirs (Score:2)
However, not all of us Kiwis agree with that decision. Not only that it hurts our economy, perhaps worse is the bitter taste it leaves when you think about who are we gonna turn to for help if shit hits the fan.
Re:What business is it of theirs (Score:2)
The US is still putting pressure on NZ about this, and about parallel imports, etc. etc, plus using tarrifs to block or inhibit a lot of goods which we can produce far more efficiently.
Re:What business is it of theirs (Score:5, Informative)
the U.S. government is busy trying to get Australia to change its laws to increase the profits of U.S. record companies.
The very first sentence in the linked article says:
US TRADE officials have backed off from a tough line on music, movie and software piracy, admitting that shoehorning Australia into a copyright regime based on criminal law may be "a bridge too far".
Under heavy lobbying from the US entertainment and software industries, the Office of the US Trade Representative had listed the harmonisation of copyright legislation among issues to be raised with Australian negotiators for the Free Trade Agreement. But the head of the US Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration, Undersecretary Grant Aldonas, said America would not be pushing too hard on intellectual property during the current negotiations.
Yeah, the *IAA pushed hard, the US govt doesn't seem to be doing too much though.
They may not be pushing hard (Score:3, Informative)
A few weeks ago I heard that they (ie the American government) were trying to get the Australian content quotas on our radio stations reduced under the banner of "free trade".
Of course that's total garbage. Our airwaves are a national resource and it is entirely reasonable to ensure they are exploited for the national good. People can't just waltz in from anywhere and exploit our mineral or land and the airwaves shouldn't be any d
Re:What business is it of theirs (Score:2)
Re:What business is it of theirs (Score:2)
The problem they have encountered is that their profit margin is high enough in the US that they believe that it should be that high elsewhere in the world. This is regardless of the fact that the artists they are promoting tend to suck these days.
I honestly believe that if they spent less money on lawyers, and less money on promoting the artist of the month, and in
Re:What business is it of theirs (Score:2)
It would be great if it worked that way. Unfortunately, the US government is too deep in bed with large companies that give them a lot of money (and yet taxes keep going up!) to "sway" their campaigns. Unfortunately, the gov't is far too corrupt: greedy and power-hungry.
How does it change? By voting incumbants out of office. Hopefully a few fresh changes of the various branches will help things.
Being depressing (Score:4, Interesting)
This is just a battle slowing the seemingly inevitable unless changes that are more fundamental are made. It is just part of the trend like DRM, software patents making it into Europe and the like...
What's the real solution to the continual move of power to corporations? Or is it best we all just roll over and take it like good domestic livestock?
Re:Being depressing (Score:5, Informative)
In fact the majority of the EU doesn't actually want it and a lot of the EMP's are fighting to have it chucked out.
S
NOT depressing (Score:2)
The RIAA will have to pay double fines for their past abuse. This is good news.
The RIAA will raise dues to member companies. Good. Make those suckers pay.
The member companies will in turn raise CD prices to pay those fines.
The net effect: you will pay more on CD's in order to correct for having paid too much on CD's in the past. It's good news for everyone.
Re:Being depressing (Score:2)
I certainly don't recommend an armed insurrection yet, but one day it may come, and an armed population ready to rise up and defend their rights against an oppressive group in control, be it the govt. or corporations.
And while you wait for the revolution to start, try to stave it off by writing letters/email/fax to govt. officials, friends and the corporations you believe are acti
Why should US companies complain? (Score:5, Insightful)
Second, although the Australian court decision is couched in the guise of "copyright law," it's no different in effect from protective tariffs or import taxes.
This raises the question why Australia didn't just enact an import tariff on compact discs equivalent to 100% of the price of an Australian-made CD.
Re:Why should US companies complain? (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Why should US companies complain? (Score:2, Interesting)
Kind of like a global mob.
Re:Why should US companies complain? (Score:3, Insightful)
Not very global; it's basically a wing of the US Trade Department. It is very like the mob, though, I agree with that.
TWW
Re:Why should US companies complain? (Score:2)
You got it ass backwards (Score:2)
Rather than being a tax on imported CDs it is a punishment get the record companies to behave themselves and let retailers import CDs if they want to.
At least with CDs the Australian government has done quite a lot over recent years to allow free trade and reduce the record companies stranglehold over supply.
cd's are bad (Score:4, Funny)
"I haven't bought a cd since 1999. Not because I download songs, but quite frankly RIAA, your music sucks donkey balls.
US-encoded DVDs? (Score:5, Informative)
If the first, well....fat chance. The guys running those publishing companies have their heads in a tight, dark place.
If the second, just ax the region encoding on your DVD player.
Re:US-encoded DVDs? (Score:5, Informative)
Is there a law in place in Australia against importing Region 1 DVDs???
I understand that there are trade-barriers in place, so that you have to pay VAT on the DVD's. But is there a law that actually states that you cannot import region 1 DVDs?
Last I checked, several online retailers in the US and Canada are willing to ship their DVD's worldwide. DVDBoxOffice [dvdboxoffice.com] will even package them one by one so you don't have to pay VAT (when shipping to Europe atleast). Play [play.com] is based in the UK, and they sell region 1 DVDs and ship worldwide.
In regards to the region protection in DVDplayers.. well.. it's a joke. I think I could solder a chip into one of those players in my sleep (I know some are harder etc). On top of that, some cheap players I've come across had a hidden menu where you could simply change the region. So, I don't see how it would be difficult to get Region 1 DVD's in Australia, or any other western country for that matter.
Apparently it is illegal (Score:3, Interesting)
I can understand why it might be a breach of the Classification act as what you are selling may not have passed through the required rating procedure.
But I can't understand how the sale of something can be a breach of copyright.
Re:US-encoded DVDs? (Score:2)
Well, here in the US, I was able to buy a DVD player that has a hidden menu option to change the region code. And before anyone complains that the manufacturers don't care about changes from region 1, it also supports PAL and has a SCART connector on the back, so it was clearly designed with european markets in mind.
Re:US-encoded DVDs? (Score:2)
There's no law against selling them here, and many niche stores (the same sort of places that sell roleplaying games and comic books) sell them openly - as in big friggin' signs saying "Region 1, NTSC."
The mainstream stores don't sell them, because (a) the 'mainstream' titles are all available as Region 4 (b) it's too much trouble dealing with all the people who'd return titles complaining "it doesn't work?"
court number (Score:4, Funny)
-- must be some computer friendly judge to pass the fine in hex notation.
U.S. only Country Not beating back the U.S. (Score:5, Insightful)
Yes I do live in the U.S., yes I do think it is corrupt from the top levels of our goverment down to the corporations.
It seems just about every other country in the world is smacking the U.S. corporations that are trying to screw everyone, but for some strange reason WE CAN'T!
Look what kind of crap we are having to fight:
1) SCO - 'nuff said!
2) MPAA/RIAA - take away our rights to fair use, and to mayn other things to list.
3) Our Goverment - Took away our 4th amendment with the Patiriot act and allow law enforcement agencies free reign in what they do. All in the name of "terrorism".
What they don't want you to know is that our damn goverment KNEW about 911 on August 20th. THe Israil (sp?) Massad warned our governemt about a terrorist threat and of massive amounts of terrorists (about 200 I belive) comming into this country. There was even an article about it in the Jeruselum Post's website [jpost.com] not long after 911. (Any of our Israli brothers want to confirm this?)
That's right your own government let it happen, why you say??? Think about what they have been able to do with that "terrorist threat" that they are using to try and scare us with. The patriot act, now talk of the patriot act II. Patriot Act - that is a damn slap in the face to the TRUE patriots that gave their lives for this country to be what it is today! I being former military am ASHAMED of our government right now!
Re:U.S. only Country Not beating back the U.S. (Score:1)
Re:U.S. only Country Not beating back the U.S. (Score:2)
Well, you're not the only american who's ashamed of his goverment. I hear it plenty of times. But sadly, there ARE goverments that bend over massively to US goverment demands. Back here in the NL, our prime minister is a prime example of being a bit too much pro-US, usually agreeing on matters before they are even officially proposed to our goverment by the US goverment. There are officials that are even worse, who I suspect of being not
Re:U.S. only Country Not beating back the U.S. (Score:2)
I remember several Rusian articale THAT August (2001) saying that Russian special intelligence forces sent to FBI a report abou
Re:U.S. only Country Not beating back the U.S. (Score:2)
This has precisely shit to do with the MPAA/RIAA and Australian imports. Mods, the "offtopic" selection isn't always a bad thing.
Re:U.S. only Country Not beating back the U.S. (Score:2)
>The spelling and grammattical errors in your post certainly indicate you have a military background
you mean because there aren't any (at least in the part you quote?
Re:U.S. only Country Not beating back the U.S. (Score:2)
My brother-in-law is a fighter pilot in the Navy, based in Norfolk, and he says that this is BS. On his carrier alone, he can account for seven (fighter jets, F-18's I think) planes being available (meaning ready to take-off at a moment's notice.) And that's just counting planes that would be available for HIM to fly...
Re:U.S. only Country Not beating back the U.S. (Score:2)
Either way, kinda stinks.
Another knockback for the MPAA- record UK CD sales (Score:5, Insightful)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/31
Screw the record companies (Score:1, Insightful)
Re:Screw the record companies (Score:2)
All the real music is on independent label anyway....
If that's the case, why don't people buy more of the independent labels? Oh, obviously you can differentiate between "real" music while the masses can't. I hate this elitest crap.
The RIAA is digging their own graves around the world. If they don't change, people will get tired of them. Black market is already bigger in most countries. But don't think the masses don't like their music. Sure, there are many people that don't like it and many of
Business as usual... (Score:2, Insightful)
2 gouge consumers
3 coerce competitors
4 ???
5 coerce governments
6 PROFIT!!!!
Subverting governments is a typically anglo-saxon way of doing "business". In the late 1700's, a britshit brewer named Molson moved into newly-conquered France, and upon seeing that the cider-drinking french natives were eschewing his beet, simply had the governor outlaw cider-making.
Being too stupid to adapt to the market by making cider, he had the market adapt to him.
200 years later, his beer still tastes like h
Re:Business as usual... (Score:5, Informative)
So you would be referring to the man who in 1786 founded Molson's beer in Canada, having emigrated from Britain where cider is so common that the West Country (south-west) in particular is known as one of the great cider-making places in the world, and is only peripherally - not to mention frequently reluctantly - close to France, a country that is known mainly for its wines and champagne?
I think your geography's a bit off, as is your history of liquor (hmm...perhaps the two are related)...
Oh, and we didn't conquer France in 1786 - they were busy winding up to chop a lot of people's heads off. A suitable fate for SCO executives, perhaps.
Myth of the Free Market (Score:5, Insightful)
In my opinion, a thriving gray market -- where consumers seek out cheaper products/services in other districts/countries -- is evidence of a healthy, competitive global economy.
Sincerely,
Vergil
Re:Myth of the Free Market (Score:2)
I do happen to actually agree with you, but let's not pretend that globalisation is as simple as dropping trade barriers and allowing people to buy and sell where they choose. Globalisation changes peoples lives and many people don't want their lives changed. Long term, it's for the better (or that's the theory), but there is, for some, a pretty painful short term we have to try hard to minimise.
Re:Myth of the Free Market (Score:2, Interesting)
"Your country's people may freely take goods and services not subsidized trough taxes and bring them into our nation to sell to anyone at any price they are willing to pay, and our people may do the same in your nation."
Anything with tens of thousands of pages of regulations and restrictions, like the WTO/GATT, is not free trade. It's managed trade. Basically the current (and pr
Now that's a fine!! (Score:3, Funny)
You know they're serious when they have to make up new numbers to describe the amount of the fine!
Either that or they fined them in hex dollars (works out to $162 million).
Re:Now that's a fine!! (Score:2)
2.7 billions. Nice number for a fine, indeed.
The last comment in the post is telling. (Score:5, Interesting)
Well, I guess the answer is obvious. But it irks me that everyone bought into international trade organizations that are so clearly biased.
By the way, does this price-fixing crap remind anyone else of a similar US case? Did members of the industry get personally fined, or were they protected behind the corporate veil? Good thing Australia's got its act together. At least someone does.
Free Trade (Score:5, Informative)
What does free trade mean?
Basically having the US not protect its own farmers and let Aussie produce compete on an even footing with US produce.
Problem is. The US government will never play in the important markets. Beef. No chance. Wheat, yeah right.
Lamb. (The US has no real lamb market or demand) OK Free trade on Lamb. Oh and by the way. To get that you need to strengthen your Intellectual Property laws.
Well Mr Howard being Bush fanboy #2 thinks that's a great idea.
Aussie farmers are pretty ambivalent to the whole deal. No free trade basically means we now have one of the best performing farm systems there is.
Oh check this out:
http://www.austa.net/pdf/chapter4.pdf
From within:
US Interest in Australias position:
- Restrict parallel importing of recorded music and branded goods
- Concern about laws concerning decompilation of software
- Concern about the adequacy of test data for pharamcueticals.
- Concern that civil rather than criminal remedies are favoured for abuse of copyright or music.
And we are going to sell that to sell a few friggin' sheep that Americans don't eat anyway.
Idiots.
Re:Free Trade (Score:2)
It's always nice with Australia/US FTA's mention me [sourceforge.net] personally.
We fought so damn hard for those decompilation laws. Now they're going to take em away for the god damn lamb market?
Re:Free Trade (Score:2)
I'm sure the RIAA is thinking.. (Score:3, Funny)
cheap CDs at last? (Score:3, Insightful)
Hardly.
More expensive CDs to pay for the fine, I'd have thought.
TCO rather TCP (Score:4, Informative)
Forget the total cost of ownership here, anyone ever take a look at the total cost of production of cd's and dvd's and the markups on them. While cassettes can be rather costly, and often sell for like typically 7.99 - 14.99, cd's and dvd's are made for peanuts
Personally I could care less what one court says since another will go back and reverse and vice versa, but some of the record companies should tone down their bitching considering they're sticking it to the consumer %99 of the times. It's about time P2P came to bite them in the ass and give them a wake up call, and now hopefully some of the courts will too
I can hear... (Score:3, Insightful)
I say, if it weren't for Australian justice and anti-trust regulations, those two corporations would still be ripping off consumers. Yet, most of our countries are engaged in WTO negotiations which compell countries to get rid of those "embarrassing regulations" in the name of so-called "competition" and "fairness". I'm not saying we need more regulations; just that the existing ones need to be upheld.
Do you see where "competition" stands when corporations agree on pricing to rip off their consumers? What about "fairness" if the existing regulations are cancelled ?
(Robot slams door open:)
IP droid: `By using the words "fairness" and "competition", you just infringed on Trademark #AE6521 by corporation SueMyAss Inc. We'll see you in court, sir.'
Parallel imports outlawed in US too (Score:2, Interesting)
A lot of small time record distributors routinely ignore this regulation and get cease-and-desist orders or worse when the US record company catches up with them.
To legally make an commercial importation of a sound recording that is already owned or licensed in the USA you must have the permission of the company that currently holds
I love a sunburnt country (Score:5, Interesting)
The only thing we have to be proud of is our judicial system, the guys who blocked the Gordon below Franklin damn even though blocking it was COMPLETELY unconstitutional it was just right, the guys who locked up Pauline Hanson, the guys who fined those record labels, the guys who don't give a DAMN about what the big guys say about what you can and can't do with your own stuff. They make me proud to be an Australian,
Even though in Australia it is unpatriotic to be patriotic (or at least you are judged to be a weeny if you are). It is times like this when I would like to press my hand to my chest, salute our crappy, halfarsely designed flag, scull my VB (not Fosters, YUCK!) and sing "Advance Australia Fair" at the top of my voice (even though it was written by white supremists, at least it is not about a suicidal sheep duffer).
Re:I love a sunburnt country (Score:2)
Re:I love a sunburnt country (Score:2)
Re:I love a sunburnt country (Score:2)
various bits of the world in the same way and then if these freeloaders knew they'd get a hard time
instead of free dole money , housing etc , they might think twice about coming!
All I said is I like our court system (Score:2)
Like I said before, our polititions are dickheads, but our courts are great. Personally, I don't care if they are fairly bland seeming, I don't care how many gay hookers Michael Kirby did or didn't pick up in how many government cars, I wouldn't even care if they found me guilty of murder (if I did it of course). I have a deep respect for those guys, and I believe that until they are mainly replaced they will
But this headline is wrong . . . (Score:2, Informative)
(As Emily Litella would have said, "That's quite different, isn't it?")
Harmonise (Score:2)
Non-RIAA classical CDs (Score:2, Informative)
ummm dudes (Score:3, Informative)
Let me guess, we have people who are PAID to edit here?
ACCC et al.. (Score:4, Informative)
I know that in the case of Playstation discs, Sony won a case recently that basically has made modding Playstations in Australia for playing any kind of disc (pirate or import) illegal.
But the DVD Region code issue has been in the press here alot, IANAL but I believe due to the actions of the ACCC, Multi region DVD players here are quite common in the retail market to give consumers choice, I guess its up to the DVD Player manifacturer weather they include the feature or not.
Personally my PHILIPS DVD-707 is modded All region from the remote and I own a number of Region 1 titles that just arent available locally here.
I'm all for import CD's too, alot of Japanese releases come with extra tracks and collectors packaging that if imports were banned, we'd never get to see (legally).
To a point as a consumer, I dont mind if the disc costs me the same as here or even a bit extra, but we should get the choice to buy the product we want, expecially if the product offers features not included on the domestic release.
Jim.
CDs are CHEAP (to manufacture) in Australia (Score:3, Interesting)
I run an independent record label and I get my CDs manufactured in Australia precisely because it is CHEAPER for me to do so!
Free trade and parallel importation (Score:4, Interesting)
The US Trade Representative warned parallel importation had led to increasing piracy of DVDs and VCDs."
The US maintains that importing identical commerical copies of music or video from another country is equivalent to piracy? What balderdash.
To put this is perspective, if a company in China found a better deal on wheat in the Ukraine than what their "authorised distrubutor" of American wheat in China could offer them, then that company engaged in wheat piracy?
I am of the mistaken belief that free trade was meant to foster GLOBAL trade, not regional cartels.
Authorised Distributor is now another term for MONOPOLY. What a hypocrital nation the US has become.
Can they really.... (Score:1)
Re:Can they really.... (Score:5, Insightful)
google'd:
http://www.mhcinternational.com/corp
CORPORATE MANSLAUGHTER
There is nothing new in the notion that industry and commerce have had hands in the deaths of customers, employees and their neighbours. Regardless of whether the reasons were driven by negligence or by incompetence, the net effect was that next to never were companies or their top managers held accountable by the courts.
Changes may well be on the way. The UK Government (May 2000) is now in consultation about the size and shape of corporate manslaughter or corporate killing charges. Prospectively unlimited fines are in view. There may be prison sentences for culpable directors. And the field of vision will cover all enterprises, to include public sector organizations, rather than the private sector only.
Enactment of legislation will take many months. The implications are clear even now. In addition to the moral responsibility which ought always to have been present, there are legal, cost and reputation reasons why managers should take action.
'Turnbull' requirements are already focussing attention on internal controls within the organization. Social audit and social reporting skills are increasingly needed by top managers. Above all, organizations will do well to look again at their values and their codes of conduct, whilst making sure that the needed educational processes are in place and working.
Re:Can they really.... (Score:1)
Re:Can they really.... (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Can they really.... (Score:1)
Re:Can they really.... (Score:1)
Yes, they can buy "Directors Insurance", which means they don't personally pay those fines anyway...
Re:Can they really.... (Score:2)
Re:Can they really.... (Score:2)
Conversion Rate (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Bleeeech. (Score:2, Informative)
Re:now all we need to do.. (Score:2)
bah