The total signatures on the Saving Aussie Books Petition was almost 3700 and when combined with the signatures gathered in MP Steve Gibbon’s printing town of Maryborough and those from the Australian Publishing Association, the total is approximately 10,000.

The signatures on the Saving Aussie Books Petition were gathered honestly – not with ready-made online loyalty customers who weren’t told of the negative effects of Parallel Imports – but with hard work, with patience, with shoe-leather and with support from members of the community.

Those signing the Petition have ranged from big-name authors like JM Coetzee, Tara Moss, Kate Grenville and Lian Tanner to a group of high-school writers, from professionals to tradesmen and shopkeepers, from teachers, librarians and parents, from the young and the elderly in nursing homes. The one thing in common with all has been the love of reading and in particular, reading Australian-authored books.

NOTE: The ‘Coalition for Cheaper Books’ (the main force for allowing Parallel Imports of Books) has tried to publicly damage my integrity by sending out a Press Release accusing me of  having  “an advertisement on her own website for an overseas online bookseller selling her own children’s book for 13% less than in Australia.’

It continues: “It’s hypocrisy to claim territorial copyright while you’re promoting your own book through overseas retailers to Australians and putting Australian bookselling jobs at risk.”

For the record I have NEVER allowed advertising on my websites for anything.

The alleged ad in question could come from the fact that I use WordPress.com who apparently put an occasional ad for first time visitors to a site, and over which we ordinary punters (who don’t buy the WordPress.org one) have no control.

To assert, as the Coalition for Cheaper Books has done, that I am promoting my own book through overseas retailers is either, at best showing ignorance of how free blogsites like WordPress.com work or at worst, choosing to derail the Saving Aussie Books campaign by questioning my integrity.

The people behind the Saving Aussie Books campaign are passionate about Australian books, and especially Australian children’s books. We want the kids of the future to be able to enjoy real Australian books, not facsimiles of them in North American format.

Note to Mr Grover and Mr Carr: With our excellent public library system right across this country, there is no excuse for any child not to have access to books – the only barrier is ignorance of that fact.