Summary
We're exploring ways to enhance Australia’s Intellectual Property (IP) system to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to benefit from and protect their Indigenous Knowledge (IK). From 23 February 2021 to 31 May 2021, we consulted stakeholders on four options looking at how IK is considered in the IP system:
- Establishing an Indigenous Advisory Panel – to provide a formal Indigenous voice to IP Australia.
- Enhancing the process for trade marks and designs – by supporting IK owners to benefit from, and consent to, the use of their IK.
- Declaring the source of IK in new inventions and plant varieties – encouraging transparency and recognition of IK owners.
- Exploring interests in authenticity labelling – further promoting authentic Indigenous products.
The Enhance and Enable Indigenous Knowledge consultations 2021 report details what we heard on the four consultation topics, other emerging themes, and our response.