Welcome To Clancy Tucker's Blog!



Thank You For Visiting!






Productivity Commission - my views! (Posted: Oct 20,   Modified: Oct 23)
The Hon Peter Garrett AM
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts
PO Box 6022
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Dear Minister,

As an emerging writer I implore you and your parliamentary colleagues to seriously consider the recommendations of the Productivity Commission, especially those relating to territorial copyright. My main concern is for the future of aspiring writers.

I’m a fulltime writer and photographer who works twelve hours per day, seven days per week and have done so for the past six years. Although diligent and passionate about my craft and, with a fairly commendable biography (attached), I am not guaranteed to be published in this country. Yes, it’s a tough gig. On average, publishers in this country receive a minimum of 2,000 unsolicited manuscripts per annum but few books are published per year per publisher.

As such, I hope and trust the government will view the ramifications of the Productivity Commission’s recommendations from the viewpoint of emerging writers. In a country of 22 million people, I am constantly amazed at how many writers exist in Australia. It is a healthy sign, one that should never be taken for granted nor overlooked. In a world of increasing technology, everything should be done to encourage and foster literary pursuits that would make Andrew Barton ‘Banjo’ Paterson and Henry Lawson smile; pleased their great work has carried on.

Minister, I am deeply concerned for not only established authors and emerging writers, but especially for younger, aspiring authors. Thus, the purpose of this letter is to raise the concerns of emerging writers in this debate. Their voice has barely been mentioned. It should be. They have a right to be heard and considered. They are our literary future. Sure, we have heard from professional organizations, established writers and those who will gain financially from these recommendations, but little, if anything has been mentioned about the enormous body of young, emerging and aspiring writers in this country. Yes, the silent majority – the future of literature in Australia.


As already mentioned,being published in this country is extremely difficult to achieve, not made any easier by the rules governing major literary contests. Unfortunately most major contests are for published books, not unpublished manuscripts. Having said that, the Victorian Premier’s Award and The Fellowship of Australian Writer’s (FAW) National Literary Awards do allow a category for an unpublished manuscript – more power to them. In fact, the FAW unpublished manuscript award draws more than 700 manuscripts every year from all over Australia. That is certainly encouraging.

The 2009 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards were a welcome announcement. Although a lucrative ($100,000) and prestigious award, again, it is only open to published books and I was disheartened when I read the guidelines for that award. There is no stipulation for the winning books to be published in Australia. However, the final paragraph in the ‘Guidelines for Entries’ states, “The Australian Government expects that the recipients of the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards will from time to time assist in publicly promoting Australian literature.” Maybe encouragement for Australian literature and the Australian book industry should be fostered by the federal government; not be left to award winners or writers. Plus, winners of this wonderful award should be those with books published in this country.

Another prestigious award, the Vogel Award, is only for writers under thirty-five years-of-age. Interestingly, the most successful authors of young adult fiction are writers born between 1940 and 1960, thus precluding our best writers from entering. So, it is a difficult journey for an aspiring, young and emerging writer, one fraught with hurdles beyond their control.

As an author who has always encouraged and mentored younger writers, I ask you and your parliamentary colleagues to seriously bear them, the silent majority, in mind when you consider the recommendations of the Productivity Commission. Let’s do everything we can to encourage young talent to flourish, especially young, aspiring writers, illustrators and editors. It is my responsibility and yours to encourage and nurture our literary talent, as it is to ensure a thriving publishing industry in Australia.

Territorial copyright for books has enabled the Australian book industry to grow and become a vibrant industry that employs thousands of people. Yes, I support Australians for Australian Books. Why not? I want to retain a strong Australian book industry, one that will provide employment opportunities and be there for young aspiring writers of the future. I also believe that literature should be more about heritage than profit but there is a glaring inequity. If one of my books were sold for the recommended retail price (RRP) of $25, I as the author, would receive $2.50 for each book sold. However, bookstores can sell the same book and earn $12 - $14 per copy. Is it any wonder that bookstores et al have such a varied stance to writers and publishers in regard to the recommendations of the Productivity Commission?

I guess there are two major questions that need to be asked:

1. Will the recommendations of the Productivity Commission enhance the prospects of young authors and illustrators in Australia – well into the future?

2. If the UK and the USA legally prohibit any threats to their Parallel Import Restrictions, why should we allow it here?

Your views on the matters raised in this letter would be appreciated.


Thanks for listening.

I’m Clancy Tucker


20th July 2009











“Books are cool! They take you away to awesome places.”

clancy_tucker@hotmail.com
www.blogbud.com/clancytucker