“Pirate parties” have proliferated across Europe and North America in the past decade, championing issues such as intellectual property (IP), freedom of speech, and the protection of privacy and anonymity.

This year, the movement hit Australian shores: The Pirate Party Australia was officially registered by the Australian Electoral Commission in January 2013. (You can read its principles and platform here.)

“More than ever before, there is a necessity in Australia for a party that holds empowerment, participation, free culture and openness as its central tenets”, Pirate Party founder Rodney Serkowski said in a press release announcing the group’s successful registration. Their first test will be this year’s federal election, scheduled for September 14, in which the fledgling party will contest Senate seats in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.

There has been much political discussion as to how Pirate Party Australia will fare in September’s poll. The Swedish Piratpartiet has two members in the European Parliament. The German Pirate Party has won seats in regional and municipal elections. The Czech Pirate Party had a member elected to the national parlament. But pirate parties contesting elections in the United Kingdom and North American have failed to make an electoral impact.

Will Pirate Party Australia emulate the success of its European counterparts? Or will it struggle to gain attention and votes as a micro-party in a crowded field?

They might find that the times suit them: this year’s election is shaping up as a battle royal over IP. Just in the past fortnight, there has been a high-profile debate over IT pricing and geoblocking – with Apple, Adobe, and Microsoft seeking to justify price discrimination against Australian consumers.

Party Lines provides an enlightening insight into the politics of IP in the Australian Parliament.

The Hansard search tool reveals past policy conflicts and battlegrounds; dominant themes of contemporary times; and perhaps even hints at future developments in the field.