On March 2, 2011 the Australian Federal Government published draft amendments to the key Acts that govern Intellectual Property in Australia.  The proposed changes, if implemented, are significant and quite complex.

 

Should the Bill be passed there will be a dramatic shift in Australian Intellectual Property practice.  The Bill’s articulated aims are to ‘Raise the Bar’ of patent standards inline with international trading partners, reduce delays in resolving patent and trade mark applications and support research and innovation.

 

The draft Bill ‘does not deal with gene specific issues, rather it seeks to raise patentability standards across all technologies’. 

 

IP Australia has called for comments and submissions by April 4, 2011.  Should you have any comments about the proposals, please feel free to contact us as your feedback will help inform our submission.

 

Please also contact us if you would like further details.  We will continue to keep you informed of developments.