The National Copyright Unit (NCU) is the specialist copyright team responsible for copyright policy and administration for Australian schools and TAFE. It advises and supports the Copyright Advisory Group (CAG) for schools (CAG Schools) and TAFE (CAG TAFE).
CAG Schools is comprised of senior representatives from State and Territory education departments, the Commonwealth and the Catholic and Independent school sectors. CAG Schools, assisted by NCU, provides regular updates and reports on significant copyright issues affecting the Australian school sector to the Australian Education Senior Officials Committee, the National Catholic Education Commission and Independent Schools Australia.
CAG TAFE includes representatives from all TAFE jurisdictions (excluding Victorian TAFEs).
The NCU consists of the National Copyright Director, two National Copyright Managers, two Senior Copyright Officers, and an Administration and Support Officer. Its primary responsibilities include:
• negotiating and managing statutory and voluntary licences with copyright collecting societies on behalf of schools and TAFE
• liaising with other education sectors and industry bodies on copyright policy issues
• preparing submissions to Government inquiries on educational copyright issues
• providing specialist copyright advice to jurisdictions on copyright issues affecting schools and TAFE
• implementing Smart Copying initiatives, including the use of Open Education Resources, designed to reduce the cost of copying within schools.
All inquiries about the National Copyright Unit should be directed to:
National Copyright Unit
Level 7, 105 Phillip Street, Parramatta NSW 2150
Telephone: 02 7814 3855
Email: smartcopying@det.nsw.edu.au
National Copyright Unit Team
Delia Browne
Director, National Copyright Unit
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Delia is a highly respected copyright lawyer who leads the National Copyright Unit (NCU) providing specialist copyright advice to Australian Schools and Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes with a focus on the rapidly changing digital teaching environment –www.smartcopying.edu.au. She has led the advocacy for copyright law reform in Australia resulting in the successful introduction of new education use exceptions in Australia’s copyright legislation.She is a sought-after speaker and participates in many international conferences and think tanks on copyright and open education.
Delia is a member of the Creative Commons Board of Directors and a long time member of the Creative Commons global network – http://www.creative.commons.org. She has represented Creative Commons at the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights and is dedicated to furthering the WIPO Limitations and Exception agenda particularly with regard to education. Delia is also on the boards of the Australian Digital Alliance and P2PU. She is also a member of the editorial board of Media and Arts Law Review and has taught Intellectual Property at the University of New Wales, Griffith University and the University of Auckland (her alma mater). |
Jessica Smith
Manager, National Copyright Unit
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Jessica Smith is a dual qualified lawyer admitted to practice in both the United States and Australia. Jessica has extensive copyright experience and is the Leader for the National Copyright Unit (NCU). Jessica advises and represents Australian schools and TAFEs on copyright issues, negotiates copyright licences for the sector and liaises with education, industry and government on copyright policy issues.
Prior to joining the NCU in 2012, Jessica worked in private practice. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in molecular biology and biochemistry, a Juris Doctor and a Masters of Laws specialising in international intellectual property law.
Jessica is currently based in Brisbane, Queensland. |
Alison Davis
Manager, National Copyright Unit
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Alison Davis has extensive experience as a copyright lawyer, with previous roles in magazine publishing, television production and the arts. She has also worked as Chief Executive Officer of Autism West, a Western Australian for-purpose organisation.
Alison first worked in the National Copyright Unit from 2006-2011. She re-joined the team in 2020.
She holds Bachelor of Arts and Laws degrees from the University of Western Australia, and a Master of Laws from the University of New South Wales, specialising in Media, Communications and Information Technology Law.
Alison is based in Perth, WA. |
Holly Cordell
Senior Policy Officer, National Copyright Unit
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Holly Cordell is a lawyer and Senior Copyright Advisor at the National Copyright Unit. In 2010, she completed a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Sydney majoring in Sociology and History. She returned to her hometown of Perth, Western Australia and completed a Bachelor of Laws in 2014. She was admitted to practice in 2016.
Prior to joining NCU in early 2020, Holly worked as a Mediation Officer for the Office of the NSW Small Business Commissioner, assisting the Commissioner with the administration of the Retail Leases Act 1994 (NSW) by providing strategic advice and mediation services to small businesses across New South Wales.
She was also a Legal Officer in the legal branch of the Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation, a native title representative body for the Yamatji and Pilbara regions of WA, where she negotiated heritage agreements on behalf of Traditional Owners.
In 2017, she volunteered with Salvos Legal Humanitarian in Sydney, with primary responsibility of a range of matters in the area of Family Law, as well as providing assistance with applications under the Migration Act 1958.
Since joining the NCU, Holly has provided copyright policy advice to 150 teachers in Schools and TAFEs about the Statutory Educational Licence scheme and exceptions in the Copyright Act 1968, conducted research projects involving surveying and interviewing teachers across Australia and assisted with copyright law reform submissions.
Holly is currently based in Perth, Western Australia.
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Arabi Shivaramanan
Senior Copyright Officer, National Copyright Unit
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Arabi is lawyer and National Copyright Advisor at NCU. She completed a double degree of a Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing)/Laws at the University of Sydney and was admitted as a Solicitor in 2019. Prior to joining NCU, Arabi worked as a Copyright Assistant at the University of Sydney where she reviewed and provided compliance advice on copyright for the University’s Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) Program. She was also a Paralegal in the Forensic and Technology Services team at Clayton Utz where she worked on several high-profile matters ranging from Commercial Litigation to Public Law.
Since joining the NCU in mid-2019, Arabi has assisted in licence negotiations and law reform with a focus on improving access to materials for schools and TAFEs. She has also advised over 250 schools and TAFEs on managing their copyright obligations and prides herself on a client-focused approach. |
Sara Lewis
Administration and Support Officer, National Copyright Unit
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Sara Lewis is the Administration and Support Officer for the National Copyright Unit. She is also a qualified primary school teacher and has also worked for the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge. Sara was also a Trade mark searcher for Spruson & Ferguson for 10 years.
She has a Bachelor of Arts (Linguistics and Psychology) from the University of Sydney and a Masters of Teaching (Primary) from the University of New England. |
