Roadshow Films Pty Limited v Telstra Limited [2024] FCA 1388

Roadshow Films Pty Limited v Telstra Limited [2024] FCA 1388

The applicants established all criteria under s 115A: carriage service provider status of respondents; existence and ownership of copyright in the relevant cinematograph films; infringement via the Target Online Locations; those locations’ primary purpose or effect being copyright infringement; and adequate notification to operators. Injunctive site blocking orders were just, proportionate, and appropriate.

Parties
First Applicant: Roadshow Films Pty Ltd; Second Applicant: Village Roadshow Films (BVI) Ltd; Third Applicant: Disney Enterprises, Inc; Fourth Applicant: Paramount Pictures Corporation; Fifth Applicant: Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.; Sixth Applicant: Universal City Studios LLC; Seventh Applicant: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.; Eighth Applicant: Netflix Studios, LLC; Ninth Applicant: Netflix Worldwide Entertainment, LLC; Tenth Applicant: Apple Video Programming LLC; Eleventh Applicant: Viacom International Inc.; First Respondent: Telstra Limited; Second Respondent: Optus Mobile Pty Limited; Third Respondent: Optus Networks Pty Limited; Fourth Respondent: Optus ADSL Pty Limited; Fifth Respondent: Optus Satellite Pty Limited; Sixth Respondent: UECOMM Operations Pty Limited; Seventh Respondent: Optus Internet Pty Limited; Eighth Respondent: Optus Mobile Migrations Pty Limited; Ninth Respondent: Optus Wholesale Pty Limited; Tenth Respondent: Amaysim Mobile Pty Limited; Thirteenth Respondent: M2 Wholesale Pty Ltd; Fourteenth Respondent: M2 Wholesale Services Pty Ltd; Fifteenth Respondent: M2 Commander Pty Ltd; Sixteenth Respondent: Primus Network (Australia) Pty Ltd; Seventeenth Respondent: Primus Telecommunications Pty Ltd; Eighteenth Respondent: Primus Telecommunications (Australia) Pty Ltd; Nineteenth Respondent: Dodo Services Pty Ltd; Twentieth Respondent: Engin Pty Ltd; Twenty First Respondent: Eftel Corporate Pty Ltd; Twenty Second Respondent: Eftel Retail Pty Ltd; Twenty Third Respondent: Eftel Wholesale Pty Ltd; Twenty Fourth Respondent: Wholesale Communications Group Pty Ltd; Twenty Fifth Respondent: Vocus Pty Ltd; Twenty Sixth Respondent: Amnet Broadband Pty Ltd; Twenty Seventh Respondent: Nextgen Networks Pty Limited; Twenty Eighth Respondent: TPG Internet Pty Ltd; Twenty Ninth Respondent: TPG Network Pty Ltd; Thirtieth Respondent: FTTB Wholesale Pty Ltd; Thirty First Respondent: Chariot Limited; Thirty Second Respondent: Soul Pattinson Telecommunications Pty Limited; Thirty Third Respondent: SPT Telecommunications Pty Limited; Thirty Fourth Respondent: SPTCOM Pty Limited; Thirty Fifth Respondent: Soul Communications Pty Ltd; Thirty Sixth Respondent: PIPE Networks Pty Limited; Thirty Seventh Respondent: IntraPower Terrestrial Pty Ltd; Thirty Eighth Respondent: IINET Limited; Thirty Ninth Respondent: Internode Pty Ltd; Fortieth Respondent: TransACT Capital Communications Pty Ltd; Forty First Respondent: TransACT Victoria Communications Pty Ltd; Forty Second Respondent: Westnet Pty Ltd; Forty Third Respondent: Adam Internet Pty Ltd; Forty Fourth Respondent: AAPT Limited; Forty Fifth Respondent: Request Broadband Pty Ltd; Forty Sixth Respondent: TPG Telecom Limited; Forty Seventh Respondent: Vodafone Network Pty Limited; Forty Eighth Respondent: Vodafone Pty Limited; Forty Ninth Respondent: Aussie Broadband Limited
Jurisdiction
Australia
Judgment Date
03 December 2024
Procedural Posture
Intellectual Property (copyright) Site Blocking Application / Final Orders and Reasons for Judgment
Outcome
Site blocking and related orders granted as sought by the applicants
Legal Topics
Site Blocking Orders, Copyright Infringement, Online Access to Infringing Content

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Parties

Roadshow Films Pty Ltd

First Applicant

Village Roadshow Films (BVI) Ltd

Second Applicant

Disney Enterprises, Inc

Third Applicant

Paramount Pictures Corporation

Fourth Applicant

Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.

Fifth Applicant

Universal City Studios LLC

Sixth Applicant

Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Seventh Applicant

Netflix Studios, LLC

Eighth Applicant

Netflix Worldwide Entertainment, LLC

Ninth Applicant

Apple Video Programming LLC

Tenth Applicant

Viacom International Inc.

Eleventh Applicant

Telstra Limited

First Respondent

Optus Mobile Pty Limited

Second Respondent

Optus Networks Pty Limited

Third Respondent

Optus ADSL Pty Limited

Fourth Respondent

Optus Satellite Pty Limited

Fifth Respondent

UECOMM Operations Pty Limited

Sixth Respondent

Optus Internet Pty Limited

Seventh Respondent

Optus Mobile Migrations Pty Limited

Eighth Respondent

Optus Wholesale Pty Limited

Ninth Respondent

Amaysim Mobile Pty Limited

Tenth Respondent

M2 Wholesale Pty Ltd

Thirteenth Respondent

M2 Wholesale Services Pty Ltd

Fourteenth Respondent

M2 Commander Pty Ltd

Fifteenth Respondent

Primus Network (Australia) Pty Ltd

Sixteenth Respondent

Primus Telecommunications Pty Ltd

Seventeenth Respondent

Primus Telecommunications (Australia) Pty Ltd

Eighteenth Respondent

Dodo Services Pty Ltd

Nineteenth Respondent

Engin Pty Ltd

Twentieth Respondent

Eftel Corporate Pty Ltd

Twenty First Respondent

Eftel Retail Pty Ltd

Twenty Second Respondent

Eftel Wholesale Pty Ltd

Twenty Third Respondent

Wholesale Communications Group Pty Ltd

Twenty Fourth Respondent

Vocus Pty Ltd

Twenty Fifth Respondent

Amnet Broadband Pty Ltd

Twenty Sixth Respondent

Nextgen Networks Pty Limited

Twenty Seventh Respondent

TPG Internet Pty Ltd

Twenty Eighth Respondent

TPG Network Pty Ltd

Twenty Ninth Respondent

FTTB Wholesale Pty Ltd

Thirtieth Respondent

Chariot Limited

Thirty First Respondent

Soul Pattinson Telecommunications Pty Limited

Thirty Second Respondent

SPT Telecommunications Pty Limited

Thirty Third Respondent

SPTCOM Pty Limited

Thirty Fourth Respondent

Soul Communications Pty Ltd

Thirty Fifth Respondent

PIPE Networks Pty Limited

Thirty Sixth Respondent

IntraPower Terrestrial Pty Ltd

Thirty Seventh Respondent

IINET Limited

Thirty Eighth Respondent

Internode Pty Ltd

Thirty Ninth Respondent

TransACT Capital Communications Pty Ltd

Fortieth Respondent

TransACT Victoria Communications Pty Ltd

Forty First Respondent

Westnet Pty Ltd

Forty Second Respondent

Adam Internet Pty Ltd

Forty Third Respondent

AAPT Limited

Forty Fourth Respondent

Request Broadband Pty Ltd

Forty Fifth Respondent

TPG Telecom Limited

Forty Sixth Respondent

Vodafone Network Pty Limited

Forty Seventh Respondent

Vodafone Pty Limited

Forty Eighth Respondent

Aussie Broadband Limited

Forty Ninth Respondent

Procedural Posture

Intellectual Property (copyright) Site Blocking Application / Final Orders and Reasons for Judgment

  1. 1 Whether site blocking orders should be made under s 115A of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) against the respondents in respect of specified Target Online Locations

Ratio Decidendi

The applicants established all criteria under s 115A: carriage service provider status of respondents; existence and ownership of copyright in the relevant cinematograph films; infringement via the Target Online Locations; those locations’ primary purpose or effect being copyright infringement; and adequate notification to operators. Injunctive site blocking orders were just, proportionate, and appropriate.

Court Disposition

Site blocking and related orders granted as sought by the applicants

Orders

  • Each Respondent must take steps to disable access to the Target Online Locations within 15 business days.
  • Methods for compliance may include DNS blocking, IP address blocking/rerouting, URL blocking, or agreed alternatives.