Alliance E-Mag 24-05-2006

Welcome to your Alliance equity e-bulletin. This week:

- Fair Copyrights For Performers - Betty Crosby - NZ Headquarters Established
- NZ Budget 06/07 - Downloading TV - Candy Opens Tomorrow
- Sydney's New Theatre Turns 75 - Join The Community Committee - Masterclasses
- Training To Protect your Rights - Studio A

Fair Copyrights For Performers - Equity is concerned that amendments to copyright laws do not fully deliver real copyrights to performers. The government's commitment to abolish the one per cent royalty cap, paid by broadcasters for the rights to transmit performers' recordings, is welcomed. However performers' access to that revenue is problematic. Equity had argued the government should introduce stand-alone performer rights to ensure fair payment for the use of their work. As it stands the PPCA will continue its voluntary scheme whereby performers must fulfill a complicated registration to receive dividends of the money paid by broadcasters. If you believe you are entitled to payments you should register with the PPCA at www.ppca.com.au/artists.htm

Betty Crosby - Equity bids farewell to esteemed friend and colleague Betty Crosby, who passed away last Friday. Her funeral will be held on Friday 26 May, 9.30am, at Sacred Heart Hospice - 170 Darlinghurst Rd. A wake will then be held at the Sydney Alliance office (245 Chalmers Street, Redfern) in the conference room from 11am - 1pm. The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, a donation be made in Betty's name to the Actors Benevolent Fund, on which she served as secretary for many years.

NZ Headquarters Established - New Zealand performers now have their own union office to directly serve their needs, after the Alliance moved quickly to establish a New Zealand presence to represent NZ performers. The Auckland office, situated in Ponsonby, Auckland, will officially open on 1 July 2006.

NZ Budget 06/07 - Creative New Zealand, the country's leading arts development body, has received an added $10 million funding over four years in the NZ 2006/07 budget. This brings the organisation's annual direct government funding to $15.5 million, up from just $2.4 million in 2000. Read more on the NZ budget allocation to the arts at www.beehive.govt.nz/ViewDocument.aspx?DocumentID=25840

Downloading TV - Channel Nine has become the first Australian TV network to make available programs on the Internet for downloading immediately after they have gone to air. This use is allowed under the "Ancillary Usage" category and residuals are payable to the performers concerned. Full story at http://www.smh.com.au/news/technology/nine-goes-one-up-with-tv-downloads/2006/05/17/1147545390611.html

Candy Opens Tomorrow - Neil Armfeild's feature film Candy opens in cinemas tomorrow, 25 May. The film, starring Heath Ledger as the narrator, Dan, and Abbie Cornish in the title role, has screened to great acclaim at the Berlin International Film Festival and the Hong Kong International Film Festival. Support Australian film and see it in its opening week.

Sydney's New Theatre Turns 75 - 2007 will mark New Theatre's 75th birthday, and celebrations are being planned. Organisers want to get together with everyone who has been involved with the New in any capacity during its 75 years. Please contact Marie at mariearmstrong@vtown.com.au and cc the theatre office newtheatre@bigpond.com.

Join The Community Committee - The Inner West Your Rights at Work Committee is a community group campaigning against the new industrial relations legislation. The group is looking for union members living in Sydney's inner west who would like to become involved in the campaign through community education, legal rights training and lobbying. To express your interest email InnerWestYRaW@yahoo.com.au

Masterclasses - The Equity Foundation has organised for Jeannette Nelson, voice and dialect coach at the Sydney Theatre Company, to provide a masterclass for Equity members. The masterclass will be offered to 20 performers and held at the STC on Friday 9 June from 10am. To apply, members should email their cv/bio to kate.brady@alliance.org.au. Application deadline Friday 26 May. Preference will be given to experienced performers.

Training To Protect your Rights - The Alliance will be running training sessions on Tuesday 30 May from 6.30-9pm to build awareness and skills to combat the new industrial relations laws. For more information call Nicole on 02 9333 0951 or email nicole.scardino@alliance.org.au

Studio A - Members are invited to join the studio audience for a new entertainment talk show Studio 'A' with Simon Burke: a variety show on FOXTEL's Channel W hosted by our very own Equity President. The show is shot on Thursday nights from 7pm at the new FOXTEL studios in North Ryde. The evening is free but audience members must be over 16. For more information email studioa@sstar.com.au