Limited powers limits Maori Trademark Advisory Committee

The Intellectual Property Office Commissioner has approved the application by the United States company, PTFS/LibLime.

As part of the trademark process, requests for the use of Maori words are generally run by the Maori Trademark Advisory Committee.

Its chair Karen Te O Kahurangi Waaka-Tibble admits the authority of her committee is limited.

She says in the mid-1990s there was an expectation by Maori to have a far greater role on trademark matters.

Mrs Waaka-Tibble says the primary role of the current committee is to tell the Intellectual Property Office Commissioner if a trademark proposal is offensive to Maori.

In this year’s Waitangi Tribunal decision on the WAI 262 claim, the report recommended setting up a new commission – which would hear objections to taonga being used commercially.
Copyright � 2011, Radio New Zealand