By KARYN SCHERER
Consumers may find it harder to buy cheap music, videos, books and software next year, following notice of a tightening of parallel imports.
The Government indicated in the speech from the throne that it will change an 18-month-old law that allows importers to bring in branded goods without going
through official suppliers.
It wants to ban parallel imports of CDs, videos, films, books and software that are less than two years old.
One of the country's leading parallel importers, The Warehouse Group, yesterday described the move as "no big deal."
Managing director Stephen Tindall said the chain rarely parallel imported such items that were less than two years old.
"What we would be concerned about is if this is the start of a wider push to limit parallel importing in general," he said.
The music, book, video and software industries have welcomed the move, saying it will help them to crack down on counterfeit goods.
The previous Government had rejected lobbying over the issue, saying it was not convinced counterfeit goods were widespread.
The video industry already plans to release new titles more quickly, to help to stamp out a thriving industry in pirated titles, many of which come from Fiji.
The chairman of the Recording Industry Association, Terence O'Neill-Joyce, said the music industry was delighted.
He said it was obvious from the prices being paid by some importers that publishers and artists were not receiving royalties.
Microsoft managing-director Geoff Lawrie said software suppliers were encouraged by the proposed change.
"I don't think the consumer will notice too much difference, but it will make it easy for us to track counterfeit product and control the use of illegal software."
Booksellers have yet to clarify whether the change will apply only to New Zealand titles, as indicated in Labour's pre-election policy.
A universal ban could affect some booksellers, including Internet retailer FlyingPig and American chain Borders, which recently opened a store in Auckland.
The managing-director of Penguin New Zealand, Tony Harkins, said he was unaware of any major titles that had been parallel imported since the law was changed.
"It could have an effect but it wouldn't be major. All it would probably do is drive the people who want those titles on to the Internet to do it directly."
The Consumers Institute also predicted the Government would find it difficult to prevent parallel imported goods coming into the country through the Internet.
Chief executive David Russell said he had nothing against a crackdown on pirated goods "but the last thing the New Zealand consumer wants is for regulation to be introduced which becomes trade protection regulation and leads to an increase in prices."
