New Zealand Parliament Advances Copyright Parody and Satire Bill

On April 1, 2026, New Zealand’s Parliament passed the Copyright (Parody and Satire) Amendment Bill at its first reading, marking a significant step toward introducing a new exception for parody and satire under the country’s copyright law.

The Bill, introduced by the opposition Green Party, seeks to amend the Copyright Act 1994 by creating a new “fair dealing” exception that would allow the use of copyrighted works for parody or satire without constituting copyright infringement. The legislation has now been referred to the Social Services and Community Select Committee, which will consider public submissions before reporting back to Parliament.

Despite being a Member’s Bill rather than a Government-backed proposal, the legislation received strong cross-party support, passing its first reading with 115 votes in favour and eight opposed. This level of support suggests the Bill has a strong likelihood of progressing through subsequent readings, although changes may still be made during the select committee stage.

If enacted, the Bill would introduce a new Section 42A into the Copyright Act. The proposed provision states that fair dealing with literary, dramatic, musical, or artistic works for the purpose of parody or satire would not constitute copyright infringement. The wording mirrors Section 41A of Australia’s Copyright Act 1968, which introduced a similar exception in 2006.

Currently, New Zealand’s copyright law provides limited fair dealing exceptions, including for criticism, review, news reporting, research, and private study. The proposed amendment would expand these protections to include parody and satire.

The Bill does not define the terms “parody” or “satire,” leaving interpretation to the courts. During parliamentary debate, lawmakers noted that parody typically involves imitation for humorous effect, while satire uses humour, irony, or exaggeration to critique social, cultural, or political issues. Whether these terms should be defined in the legislation may be considered during the committee review.

The proposed exception would apply only to copyright law. Even if passed, creators producing parody or satire content could still face legal risks under other areas of law, including trade mark law, registered designs, passing off, and the Fair Trading Act 1986.

The Social Services and Community Select Committee will now receive and review public submissions before the Bill returns to Parliament for further consideration.