Filling the basket with knowledge: The evolution of open access in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand

Extensive literature exists concerning the advancement of the open access movement in Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States, yet there remains a notable gap in understanding the evolution of this movement in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. Tracing the growth of open access across the region from its origins, but focusing on the past decade, this paper provides an overview of the key events and initiatives that have contributed to a twofold increase in the number of open access outputs since 2014 in both countries. Further, it will offer insights into the factors contributing to the ongoing lag in open access uptake in Australia and Aotearoa, despite notable progress. Through a retrospective lens, the paper elucidates distinct challenges faced in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, exploring both shared and divergent approaches taken to overcome challenges, and how collaboration has been beneficial. The authors offer a snapshot of the current landscape of open access in both countries, including a diverse but piecemeal open publishing ecosystem, evolving institutional and funder policies, and the important role of repositories. The paper also addresses the ongoing national and regional challenges for open access and open science, including the lack of unified national strategy and policy; increasing cost for article processing charges, which risks exacerbating inequity in scholarly publishing; and potential decreases in the use of “green” and “diamond” open access options, perhaps an unintended consequence of transformative agreements.