Free trade in books and promotion of local culture

Comments on Bob Carr “Low prices open fresh chapter for readers”, 15/07/2009, http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25784280-5013480,00.html

The Productivity Commission has done the right thing in its recommendations. Free trade in books will be good for readers in Australia for two things. The first is it will result in lower book prices and more readers will read more books. The other is that with more people reading more what is going on worldwide, the knowledge of Australians as a whole will be enhanced and will bring benefits with them.

However, there is also a point of promoting local culture. Free trade and the promotion of local culture are not necessarily conflicting with each other. Promotion could be done in terms of subsidies to local writers on local cultures.

So there are policies that can achieve both objectives. Australian government should pursue those best policies to achieve the best outcomes for Australians.