'Brooki Bakehouse' is a popular bakery in Brisbane which has gone viral across social media platforms for their range of pastries and treats, along with their unique Instagram and TikTok content centred around topics such as 'A Day In The Life of a Bakery Owner.' Brooke Bellamy is the founder and owner of this popular bakery, however, she has been accused of plagiarising the recipes in her recently published book, 'Bake With Brooki.'
Nagi Maehashi from RecipeTin Eats is one of Australia's most respected food bloggers, and she has come forth claiming that her recipes have been stolen by Brooke, who then incorporated it into her book, 'Bake With Brookie.' In a statement on her website, ‘RecipeTin Eats’, Maehashi said two recipes in Bellamy's bestselling cookbook ‘Bake with Brooki’ were far too similar to recipes she had previously published, being her recipes for a caramel slice and baklava. Maehashi posted side-by-side screenshots of the ingredients, quantities and instructions from the two books, which gained enormous traction and backlash on social media. She said the similarities between the recipes amounted to plagiarism however, lawyers for Penguin Random House Australia - the publisher of Bellamy's book - have rejected her claims and said all recipes were written by Bellamy.
What Legal Action Can Maehashi Take?
Maehashi claims that the similarities between the recipes amounted to plagiarism, but Professor John Swinson from the University of Queensland has stated that plagiarism isn't a legal claim, so she cannot sue for this. Additionally, Associate Professor of Law, Vicki Huang from the University of Queensland, has also stated that plagiarism isn't unlawful but rather, is regulated by social and industry norms. However, there are still consequences of plagiarism, stating "there can be reputational harms within an industry for copying or plagiarising other people's work."
Additionally, Maehashi has also claimed that she was not given credit for her recipes. Under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), an author's work must be credited. This situation underscores the complexities that can arise in the publishing industry and the different approaches parties may take in resolving disputes. Maehashi's experience highlights the potential challenges authors can face when dealing with large corporations and navigating legal processes