One of the biggest problems facing the book trade in Australia is the distribution of Australian books both within Australia and overseas. The situation is not improving, because of both the economic depression and the increasing stranglehold overseas publishing firms have on the Australian market. Last year two important bookshops in Sydney, Exiles and Abbeys, ceased to be effective outlets for small press books, in the former because of bankruptcy, in the latter because of a decision to rationalise their holdings. The provision of alternative views and new ideas in Australia is such a fragile matter that we simply cannot afford to have the few current outlets closed to us.