APPOINTMENTS TO THE PUBLIC LENDING RIGHT COMMITTEE

The Albanese Labor Government has today announced the re-appointment of Mr Steven Carroll and the appointment of Ms Clare Thorpe to the Public Lending Right Committee.

Mr Carroll has been reappointed as an author representative for a two-year term, while Ms Thorpe has been appointed as an Australian libraries representative for four years.

The Committee is responsible for the administration of the Public Lending Right Scheme.

The Scheme ensures Australian book publishers and creators are compensated for the free multiple use of their work in Australian public and educational lending libraries.

Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, said the appointees’ extensive experience and knowledge would be assets to the Committee.

“Making sure Australian writers and publishers receive the funding they deserve is a key part of Revive – Australia’s national cultural policy.

“That’s why we’re modernising the Public Lending Right Scheme to include audiobooks and eBooks for the first time. The Committee’s work will be crucial to this.

“I know Steven will continue to make a strong contribution to this work and am excited to see Clare bring her strong experience to the role.”

Mr Steven Carroll is a full-time writer and award-winning author, with 15 novels published since 1992. He has won the Miles Franklin Award, the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for the South East Asia and South Pacific Region and the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Fiction. He has been an author representative on the Public Lending Right Committee since 2018.

Ms Clare Thorpe has 25 years’ experience leading libraries in the higher education, arts and government sectors. She is an executive committee member of Open Access Australasia and previously held a number of roles at the Australian Library and Information Association, including Board Director (2020-2024), Vice President (2022‑2023) and Chair of the Finance Committee (2022-2024).

ENDS