An example was the implication for 'safe harbour' provisions which prevented internet service providers from being liable to the actions of their customers.

Kumar said it was likely the case would impact on laws in the future. "Some people have said the case demonstrates that SOPA/PIPA type legislation is needed, while others say the opposite is true."

Jane Kelsey outlined the history of the Trans-Pacific Partnership from its origins as a trade agreement between Chile, New Zealand and Singapore, to a much more sweeping agreement which also involves the US, Singapore, Burma, Australia, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, Peru and possibly Japan.

Kelsey said the TPP "goes further than any previous agreement has gone before," and aims to "set the gold standard for IP legislation."

She said New Zealand had become "the collateral damage" in "a bigger gameplan" that had been revealed by Hilary Clinton 'America's Pacific Century' speech to APEC in Honolulu last November.