Copyright Act 1994

9 Meaning of issue to the public

  • (1) References in this Act to the issue of copies of a work to the public mean the act of putting into circulation copies not previously put into circulation; and do not include the acts of—

    • (a) subsequent distribution or sale of those copies; or

    • (b) subject to subsections (2) and (3), subsequent hiring or loan of those copies; or

    • (c) subsequent importation of those copies into New Zealand; or

    • (d) distribution of imported copies that are not infringing copies within the meaning of section 12 subsequent to their importation into New Zealand.

    (2) The issue of copies of a work to the public, in relation to computer programs, includes the rental of copies of computer programs to the public and rental subsequent to those works having been put into circulation; but does not include any such rental where—

    • (a) the computer program is incorporated into any other thing; and

    • (b) the rental of the computer program is not the principal purpose or one of the principal purposes of the rental; and

    • (c) the computer program cannot readily be copied by the hirer.

    (3) The issue of copies of a work to the public, in relation to sound recordings and films, includes the rental of copies of those works to the public and rental subsequent to those works having been put into circulation.

    Compare: Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 s 18(2) (UK)

    Section 9(1)(c): amended, on 19 May 1998, by section 4 of the Copyright (Removal of Prohibition on Parallel Importing) Amendment Act 1998 (1998 No 20).

    Section 9(1)(d): added, on 19 May 1998, by section 4 of the Copyright (Removal of Prohibition on Parallel Importing) Amendment Act 1998 (1998 No 20).

    Section 9(2): amended, on 31 October 2003, by section 3(1) of the Copyright (Parallel Importation of Films and Onus of Proof) Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 111).

    Section 9(3): amended, on 31 October 2003, by section 3(2) of the Copyright (Parallel Importation of Films and Onus of Proof) Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 111).