How to spot a Pirate DVD?

DVD Piracy
If you come across someone selling pirated media products such as Videos, DVD's, CD's, Blu-Ray DVD's, etc you can report them to AFACT (Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft) through their website at: http://www.afact.org.au/ or by phoning them on their national toll free number: 1800 251 996.

What is wrong with buying a pirate DVD?
Production and manufacture of pirate DVDs is a criminal offence; the purchase of these products sustains this illegal activity and generates proceeds of crime. AFACT continues to witness proceeds from the sale of pirated DVDs supporting other criminal activity and leading to the exploitation of vulnerable persons.

How can I tell if it is a fake?
If you have a film title on DVD that has not yet been released in Australia, if it is not anywhere in the world in DVD format, or it is currently on in the cinema, then it is more than likely to be a pirate copy.
If a Major Studio DVD is listed with a Region 0 or Region All code, then it is likely to be a PIRATE.

See here for more info on how to detect a pirate DVD.
(pdf) http://www.afact.org.au/factsheets/AFACT_Consumer_Guide_Is_It_Pirated.pdf
(doc) http://www.afact.org.au/factsheets/AFACT_Consumer_Guide_Is_It_Pirated.doc



PARALLEL IMPORTS?
Parallel imports are legal goods authorized for manufacture or distribution in the exporting country but imported into Australia without the authority of the copyright or trademark owner.

Parallel importation of film and television programs is illegal in Australia.

Licensing and control of product sale and importation is a critical means to manage investment in new films and to support local industry. When anyone can bring in any disc from anywhere, significant amounts of pirated goods come in, often masquerading as legitimate product.

For copyright owners, parallel imports make it difficult to set up distribution networks that serve territorial markets and promote competition. If parallel importers undercut legitimate distribution networks, those distribution networks - encompassing a wide range of companies including not only distributors, retailers and rental outlets but also advertising companies, promotional merchandise suppliers, local audio visual duplicators, dubbing studios, and packaging firms - will wither and die.

In turn, copyright owners will be unable to distribute content that is adapted to the local market.
In addition, parallel importers typically 'cherry pick' the most and more popular titles, and create a disincentive for distributors to provide the wide variety of titles that are currently available to video rental stores and retailers in Australia.

Importation regulations protect businesses and they protect consumers from the same thing - low quality, illegitimate product.

Is it illegal to purchase region 1 DVDs?
My DVD player can play DVDs from around the world. Can I play foreign DVDs?It is not illegal to purchase other region DVDs. If you go abroad on holiday or for business you are perfectly entitled to purchase other zone DVDs for your personal use, and watch them within Australia.

What if I buy a DVD over the Internet?
You are allowed to purchase overseas DVDs, as long as the trading company - the company you buy it from - does not carry out the transaction within Australia.

For example, it is not an offence to access an American based website and purchase the product online, as long as the product is for your personal use, and is not re-sold within Australia. The point of sale therefore must not take place in Australia.