1/12/05
Footy fans can once again buy vehicle licence plates bearing the logos of their favourite team.
The Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, Francis Logan, today announced that the plates were now available from the West Coast Eagles, the Fremantle Dockers and the Western Australian supporters’ clubs of the other teams.
Mr Logan, who today visited the factory where the plates are being made, said a long-running dispute with the Australian Football League (AFL) that saw the sale of the plates suspended at the peak of the football season had been resolved.
“It means footy fans can include their favourite club’s plates among their Christmas stocking fillers,” the Minister said.
“But the introduction of ‘a middle man’ to handle copyright and royalty issues will mean the plates may cost more.”
Earlier this year, the AFL claimed all rights to the intellectual property of each club logo design and revoked the Department for Planning and Infrastructure’s authority to use the logos on vehicle number plates.
Under an AFL directive, the department was forced to suspend production of the plates, pending the development of a new and revised agreement between the two organisations.
“It has taken a lot longer than I would have liked, but an agreement has now been reached and the plate designs comply with AFL style requirements,” Mr Logan said.
He said the WA office of LicenSys Pty Ltd would now handle copyright and royalty issues with the AFL, but the Department for Planning and Infrastructure would continue to make the plates.
However, the department’s licensing centres would no longer sell the plates. They would only be available from the local AFL teams or the supporters’ clubs.
“When this issue first surfaced, we made sure that the various AFL clubs and supporters’ groups were kept abreast of the measures we took to find a solution,” the Minister said.
“Thankfully, we can now say that a solution has been reached and we are back in business.”
Minister's office: 9222 8950
