OSIA Press Releases

Mike Hideo elected to OSIA board

The industry body representing Australia's free & open source software (FOSS) companies has announced Mr Mike Hideo's election to its board of directors at its AGM in Canberra on 30 November.

Mr Hideo's nearly twenty-five year career in global technology in general and open source software specifically has given him a unique perspective.

OSIA tells TPP-11 backers to cut out the spin

Economic models relied on by BCA, MCA & AFR described as obsolete and misleading

TPP supporters & respected journalists are citing obsolete TPP-12 economic models as "evidence" to garner support for TPP-11, ignoring its substantial reduction in market scope following the USA's withdrawal from the deal and the 22 suspensions introduced by CPTPP. To counter that misinformation OSIA, in evidence before the JSCOT inquiry's 1 June public hearing , renewed its call for the treaty to be referred to the Productivity Commission for independent, current & credible economic modelling.

Fair use for everyone!

Including use of orphan works

In its recent submission to the Department of Communications & the Arts on copyright modernisation, OSIA have again supported introducing a broad flexible fair use exception to the Copyright Act 1968, together with broadening the prohibitions on contracting-out to cover all exceptions in the Act. OSIA also proposed an innovative approach to the problems associated with orphan works.

CPTPP could still destroy the Australian FOSS industry

OSIA urges Senate Committee to ditch the dud deal

In its latest submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence & Trades's inquiry into the "Comprehensive & Progressive agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership" (CPTPP), OSIA has again called on the government to scrap the controversial treaty and to open fresh negotiations for a genuine free trade agreement between former TPP parties. This time OSIA raised new questions in relation to the Electronic Commerce Chapter, the provisions of which may have the potential to destroy the Australian free & open source software (FOSS) sector altogether, in addition to reiterating the many other defects in CPTPP it has raised before.

OSIA calls for genuine free trade instead of 'Byzantine' CPTPP

CPTPP barely mentions free trade but pushes a huge range of restrictions

In its latest submission to the JSCOT TPP-11 inquiry, OSIA has once again called on the government to scrap the controversial treaty and to open fresh negotiations for a genuine free trade agreement between former TPP parties, this time without so much of the cloak-and-dagger approach.

Draft ICT procurement framework a mixed bag for FOSS sector

Progress made on open standards & cybersecurity but bias against FOSS remains damaging

In a submission lodged this week, OSIA have set out in no uncertain terms the Australian FOSS industry's views on the draft ICT procurement framework released recently by the Digital Transformation Agency (DTA). The paper's authors---five stalwarts of the Australian FOSS industry---did not mince their words.

OSIA welcomes Senate inquiry into CPTPP

Foreign Affairs, Defence & Trade References Committee inquiry will provide much needed perspective

OSIA today welcomed the Senate's move yesterday to call an inquiry into the "Comprehensive & Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership" (CPTPP). The inquiry, to be conducted by the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence & Trade (References Committee) will provide much needed perspective on this controversial and divisive treaty.

CPTPP grants temporary stay of execution

One third of the worst issues with TPP resolved for the short term

Australian Free & Open Source Software (FOSS) companies have been handed a temporary reprieve by the "Comprehensive & Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership" (CPTPP). The "suspension" by CPTPP of twenty-two TPP provisions addresses nine of the twenty-four grave concerns about TPP raised to JSCOT by OSIA in 2016, albeit with no certainty about when the "suspended" provisions may resurface.

OSIA slams DFAT's brazen denial of TPP secrecy

DFAT's CPTPP "Myth Busters" document attracted further scrutiny today when OSIA criticised the document's brazen denial---despite a widely publicised history to the contrary---of the secrecy employed throughout the TPP (and subsequently CPTPP) negotiations. This follows hot on the heels of OSIA's criticism of the document's comments on economic modelling and ISDS as biased and misleading.

Dangers of ISDS provisions in CPTPP are not a myth

DFAT "myth busters" document ignored the main risks

Following yesterday's comments on the excuses made in DFAT's "Myth Busters" document for CPTPP's lack of independent analysis, economic modelling or real economic benefit, today OSIA has criticised the document's dismissive treatment of the risks of Investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS) provisions.

DFAT "myth busters" document mostly propaganda

OSIA renews call for independent modelling of CPTPP by Productivity Commission

The "Comprehensive & Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership" (CPTPP) was signed yesterday in Chile by representatives of the 11 remaining Parties, including Australia's Minister for Trade, Tourism & Investment, Steve Ciobo, without the Commonwealth Government having commissioned any independent analysis or economic modelling of the treaty whatsoever.

On 21 February, DFAT released briefing material around CPTPP, including a TPP-11 background document entitled "Myth Busters: FACTS vs FICTION".

'The DFAT "Myth Busters" document is mostly a propaganda piece,' said OSIA Company Secretary Jack Burton, 'whilst there are some facts in it, they have been very carefully presented in a manner likely to mislead the reader on the true nature of the treaty.'

CPP is a ticking time bomb

Controversial “suspended” provisions could return at any time

The much touted “suspension” of a range of controversial provisions in the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) by the “Comprehensive & Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership” (CPTPP) appears to be little more than a rouse: Article 2 in the CPTPP text (released on Wednesday) provides that the suspensions only apply “until the Parties agree to end suspension of one or more of these provisions”. In other words, nothing has really been removed from TPP at all.