Focus: 'Raising the Bar' Intellectual
Property Reforms
Services: Commercial, Intellectual Property &
Technology
On 27 February 2012, the Australian Senate passed the
Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Bill.
Parties from across the political divide endorsed the Bill, and as
a result, no amendments were moved. The Bill has now been returned
to the House of Representatives, and is expected to be passed in
the autumn 2012 sitting of Parliament.
As the reforms are due to commence 12 months after Royal Assent,
we can expect the legislation to enter into force in the first
quarter of 2013.
The stated purpose of the 'Raising the Bar' Bill (which
will amend the Patents Act 1990, the Trade Marks Act
1995, the Copyright Act 1968, the Designs Act 2003
and the Plant Breeder's Rights Act 1994) is to make
improvements to Australia's IP rights legislation to support
innovation by encouraging investment in research and technology and
help Australian
