Unlicensed Music Use Costs Gym Operator $235K in Federal Court Ruling

In early January this year, several news outlets reported on a Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia decision against a gym owner operating multiple gyms in Sydney and Victoria without a valid OneMusic licence. The Court ordered the five companies running the gyms, along with the companies’ sole director, to pay $235,398 in damages and interest, excluding legal costs.

"The Judge also said Mr Turner (majority owner) "Simply ignored" repeated warnings from APRA from May 2022 that he needed a licence to use the songs in classes". News Limited.

All money generated from OneMusic licences goes back to music creators as ‘royalties', minus administration costs.

OneMusic is a joint music licensing initiative between the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), the Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS) and the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA). A OneMusic licence allows Australian businesses and organisations to legally play the vast majority of the world’s most popular music.

Other media coverage of the Court decision:

• Sydney Morning Herald
• The Age
• Yahoo
• Australasian Leisure Management
• The Herald Sun
• The Brisbane Times
• The Courier Mail
• Adelaide Now