New Bill to set up trans-Tasman patent attorney regime

Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Paul Goldsmith today introduced a Bill to establish a single trans-Tasman patent attorney regime.

The Patents (Trans-Tasman Patent Attorneys, and Other Matters) Amendment Bill is the first significant update to the New Zealand patent profession in 60 years. 

“This Bill  would see patent attorneys benefit from significant time and cost savings through the establishment of a single joint registration regime allowing them to seamlessly practice in both Australia and New Zealand,” says Mr Goldsmith.

“The regime has also been designed to facilitate increased competition between Australian and New Zealand patent attorneys to the benefit of innovative local businesses,” he says.

Mr Goldsmith says a modern occupational framework, with single qualification requirements and professional standards, will give businesses increased confidence in the advice given by patent attorneys to protect their inventions and ideas.

“The Bill also enables a single patent application and examination process to be implemented between IP Australia and the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ).

“This means New Zealand businesses would no longer have to have duplicate patent applications in both jurisdictions. Single examination will increase efficiency as it is expected to reduce the overall workload for IP Australia and IPONZ,” says Mr Goldsmith.