Establishing an Indigenous Advisory Panel

Issue summary

The New Zealand Intellectual Property Office has two Māori Advisory Committees that can provide advice on whether features in a trade mark or design would cause offence to Māori, or an invention claimed in a patent application draws on Traditional Knowledge or genetic resources.

IP Australia is working towards establishing an Indigenous Advisory Panel made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members who can contribute expertise and advice on issues relating to Indigenous Knowledge (IK). The functions of this panel could include providing input on policy development as well as consideration of IP applications that appear to use IK.

History

• Policy development 8 August 2019

Comments

Recently, IP Australia released an executive summary of a research paper produced by the Indigenous-owned legal firm Terri Janke and Company on Options for IP Australia’s Indigenous Advisory Panel. The summary proposes potential functions of the Panel, and will help inform broader consultations on this proposal in early 2021. You are invited to submit preliminary feedback or nominate your interest in formal consultations on this proposal using the form below.  

Other relevant papers include:

• Consultation Report – the Protection of Indigenous Knowledge in the Intellectual Property System. This report summarises stakeholders’ feedback received in our 2018-19 consultation on Indigenous Knowledge issues.
• Indigenous Knowledge: Issues for protection and management – a paper produced by the Indigenous owned legal firm Terri Janke and Company for IP Australia and the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science.

See also IDs 103 and 104.