Copyright Act 1994

Acts permitted in relation to copyright works - Literary, dramatic, musical, or artistic works

70: Public reading or recitation

You could also call this:

"Reading a book or play out loud in public is allowed if you say who wrote it."

You can read a short part of a published book or play out loud in public. You must say who wrote it when you read it. This is not considered a public performance under section 32(1). You can also record or share this reading with others if most of it does not rely on this rule. You are not breaking copyright rules if you do this.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM346212.

This page was last updated on 3 December 2025 — View changes

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69D: Ministry must publish list of authorised entities on Internet site, or

"The Ministry must put a list of approved groups on its website."

71: Abstracts of scientific or technical articles, or

"Coping a summary of a science or tech article is allowed"

Part 3Acts permitted in relation to copyright works
Literary, dramatic, musical, or artistic works

70Public reading or recitation

The reading in public or recitation in public by 1 person of a reasonable extract from a published literary or dramatic work shall not be treated as a performance in public for the purposes of section 32(1), if that reading or recitation is accompanied by a sufficient acknowledgement.
Copyright in a work is not infringed by the making of a sound recording, or the communication to the public, of a reading or recitation that under subsection (1) is not treated as a performance in public, if the recording or communication work consists mainly of material in relation to which it is not necessary to rely on that subsection.

Compare

1962 No 33 s 19(8)

Notes

Section 70(2): substituted, on 31 October 2008, by section 41 of the Copyright (New Technologies) Amendment Act 2008 (2008 No 27).