O’Neill replaces Gleeson on Copyright Agency board

Journalist and author Helen O’Neill has been appointed to the board of the Copyright Agency, replacing children’s book author Libby Gleeson.

‘[O’Neill] arrives at a time when there are exceptional challenges in the copyright arena and her expertise as a journalist and author will contribute enormously as we meet those challenges for our members,’ said the Copyright Agency’s chair Sandy Grant in a statement.

Grant thanked Gleeson for ‘her generous and practical contribution to our Board for the past nine years’. ‘She has represented the voice of creators and pushed some significant changes, including to the way we distribute fees to our author members,’ he said.

The Copyright Agency also announced that Brian Johns will be leaving the board in early 2015. His replacement is yet-to-be announced.

The Copyright Agency is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Since its inception, the organisation has paid more than $1.2 billion in copyright fees to its members, including $100m in 2013-14.

To see the current list of board members, click here.