What can I legally share and copy under NZ copyright law?

New Zealand copyright law is governed by the Copyright Act 1994. Copyright protects original creative works including text, images, music, film, software, and more.

What copyright protects:

• Literary works (articles, books, code)
• Artistic works (photos, illustrations)
• Musical works
• Sound recordings and films
• Broadcasts

Copyright is automatic — no registration is required. It generally lasts for the creator's life plus 50 years.

What you CAN do without permission (fair dealing):

Research or private study (s42): You can copy a reasonable portion of a work for your own research or private study. "Reasonable" is typically interpreted as up to 10% or one chapter of a book.

Criticism or review (s43): You can quote from a work for the purpose of criticism or review, provided you acknowledge the source.

News reporting: You can use material for reporting current events, with acknowledgement.

What is NOT fair dealing:

• Sharing copyrighted content publicly online
• Copying entire works
• Using content commercially without a licence

Penalties for infringement: Civil remedies (injunctions, damages) and criminal penalties (up to 5 years imprisonment for commercial-scale infringement) apply.

NZ vs. US copyright: NZ does not have a "fair use" doctrine (that is a US concept). NZ has the narrower "fair dealing" exception — don't assume something legal in the US is legal here.

Source: Copyright Act 1994 — View on legislation.govt.nz