Gabi Lardies, Copyright changes to benefit musicians and museums, The Big Idea, 11 June 2026
The Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs has been busy proposing updates to the Copyright Act.
At the end of Music Month, Cameron Brewer, Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, and Paul Goldsmith, Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage, announced changes to the Copyright Act that will extend copyright protection for music recordings from 50 years to 70 years. Other types of works, like lyrics, will be protected for 70 years after the creator’s death. This brings New Zealand’s law into line with global standards, and protects a bevy of iconic songs from the 1970s by bands like Split Enz, Hello Sailor, and Dragon that are coming up on that half decade.