Government Announces Increased Assistance For Innovators

23 Jul 08

Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research Senator Kim Carr has announced significant changes to the way patent and trade mark attorneys operate when advising Australian innovators.

Patent and trade mark attorneys play an important role in Australia’s Intellectual Property (IP) system.

They advise on a range of IP such as patents and trade marks and help IP owners register and maintain their property, in Australia and overseas.

The new regulations change the pre-registration requirements for patent attorneys with a focus on a more skills-based approach.

This will result in attorneys being better placed to provide high-quality assistance. Registered patent and trade marks attorneys will need to undertake compulsory continuing professional development activities each year to ensure they remain skilled to provide the best IP advice to Australian innovators.

"The intellectual property environment is always changing. It is important that innovators have access to professional services which keep pace with these changes.

"Continuing professional development is essential," Carr said.

"While many Australians seek to obtain IP protection without assistance from an attorney, the value of an attorney should not be underestimated.

In the area of patenting, there is a real skill in ensuring the patent application is drafted in a way that offers the best protection for the inventor.

"Robust IP protection is a critical foundation for business – if the foundations are weak, there may be difficulties in the future.  Major problems can result if you fail to get IP issues right from the start."  

This announcement by Senator Carr gives Australian innovators more resources to add to the new patents database developed by IP Australia and announced earlier in the year.

In April Senator Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, welcomed an innovative new online database developed by IP Australia to make the breadth of Australian inventions more accessible.
The database, entitled AusPat, allows inventors, industry and researchers to access patent applications lodged and granted in Australia since 1979.

Previously those researching Australian patent literature had to work across several unconnected databases.

"Searching patent information is a crucial step in any innovation process. It tells you what has already been invented and protected, which can save inventors a great deal of time and effort," Senator Carr said.

"The release of AusPat is a big step forward for the innovation community in Australia. IP Australia has listened to stakeholders and involved them in every step of the development process, so I’m confident that this new tool will be widely used by inventors and those that provide services to them.

"If you are in the business of innovation or have an idea and want to see what has already been protected in that particular area, then I’d recommend using AusPat very early on in the process."

AusPat represents the first outcome in an extensive program that will result in a host of other related patent search products, all of which are designed to assist Australian inventors to better understand their particular field of technology.

"At the end of this program Australia will have one of the best patent search systems in the world," Senator Carr said.

IP Australia, the Australian Government agency with responsibility for patents, trade marks, designs and plant breeder’s rights, has responsibility for administering Australian patent data.

For more information visit:
www.psb.gov.au
www.smartstart.gov.au

AusPat can be used by visiting www.ipaustralia.gov.au/auspat/