In a lengthy report, the Australian Productivity
Commission has recommended significant curtailment of the rights of
Intellectual Property (IP) holders in Australia.
Australia is considered a net "importer" of IP in the
sense that, for example, the majority of Australian patents are
granted to foreign entities. Apparently utilising this as
justification, the Commission seeks to undermine the rights of IP
rights holders, and thereby provide the benefits of innovation
"free of charge" to Australian society. In so
doing, they would, however, impact both Australian and foreign IP
rights holders. The suggestion that the system should "enhance
the wellbeing of Australians by providing protection to socially
valuable innovations that would not have otherwise occurred' is
used (improperly in my view) as justification for the curtailment
of the rights of effectively all those seeking to benefit
from their own creativity and innovation.
