Councils run on information. Every day, council staff draw from news, journals, reports and websites – then drop that content into memos, briefings, training, Teams chats, slide decks and, increasingly, AI tools.
What many people don’t realise is that almost all of this material is protected by copyright. Copying or sharing text and images without permission can create legal and financial risks for councils, even if it’s just pasting an article into a briefing note or uploading news content
into a generative AI tool as a prompt.
Independent research shows these risks are real. According to research by FiftyFive5, white-collar employees regularly copy and share published material in ways that could breach copyright. The same study found more than 120 potential copyright infringements occur per
employee each year in Australian workplaces. With local governments holding critical responsibility for transparency, governance, and public trust, the stakes are high.
How the Copyright Agency Licence helps
The Annual Copyright Licence for Local Government, offered by Copyright Agency, is designed to safeguard councils against these risks. It provides a simple, blanket solution that covers the use of millions of works from Australia and overseas, so staff don’t need to seek permission from individual copyright owners.
With this licence in place, council employees can legally:
Copy, share and store third-party text and images, including books, journals, newspapers, magazines, research papers and website content.
Upload and use Australian newspaper articles in generative AI tools as prompts and share AI-generated outputs internally or externally (including websites and social media).
Share published content externally in reports, submissions, websites, intranets, social media, and email.
Use third-party materials in staff training, regulatory submissions, and record- keeping.
The licence not only saves time and resources by removing the need for individual permissions, but it also strengthens governance. It reduces the risk of costly disputes or reputational damage, and ensures councils meet compliance obligations while supporting ethical use of generative AI.
Why councils need to act
Councils are not defined as “the Crown” under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), which means they are not covered by the statutory licences available to federal and state governments.
Without a licence, councils risk leaving copyright compliance gaps, especially as digital and AI technologies accelerate new ways of using content.
A Copyright Agency Licence provides peace of mind by ensuring compliance, while also demonstrating good governance practices aligned with ESG frameworks. Importantly, it supports innovation by allowing staff to confidently use and share the content they need to deliver services for their communities.
Free resources and training
The easiest way to strengthen your council’s copyright compliance is to start with the right knowledge.
Register now for a free webinar, Copyright Ready: Managing Copyright, Compliance and AI Use for Local Government, on Thursday 6 November at 3pm AEDT. You’ll gain practical insights into managing copyright risks, using generative AI responsibly, and ensuring your council meets its governance obligations. Attendees will receive a ‘Copyright Ready’ LinkedIn badge.
In the meantime, you can download Copyright Risk and Compliance Guide for Local Councils for practical tips and case studies. Download the PDF here.
Supporting creators, supporting councils
Copyright Agency is a not-for-profit organisation representing more than 40,000 Australian creators including authors, journalists, visual artists, surveyors and publishers. They offer licensing solutions to ensure councils and other organisations can legally use the content they need, while ensuring creators are fairly paid for their work.
By taking up an Annual Copyright Licence, your council is not only protecting itself from legal and reputational risk, you’re also supporting the creative industries that enrich our communities.
Visit copyright.com.au to learn more.
