In November 2011, the Government responded to three reports on gene patents and patentable subject matter:
- Senate Community Affairs References Committee Gene Patents Report
- Advisory Council on Intellectual Property report Patentable Subject Matter
- Australian Law Reform Commission report Genes and Ingenuity: Gene Patenting and Human Health.
The Government accepted recommendations to amend the Patents Act 1990 to introduce:
- an objects clause to assist in the interpretation of the Act, and
- an exclusion from patentability for inventions, the commercialisation of which would be considered wholly offensive by the Australian public.
A consultation paper was released to encourage discussion and seek views on the proposed amendments:
Consultation Paper PDF

Consultation Paper DOC

We invited interested parties to make written submissions by 27 September 2013 and, in particular, sought responses to the questions posed in the paper.
Public submissions
We received the following submissions:
Ausbiotech submission PDF

Ausbiotech submission DOC

Civil Liberties Australia submission PDF

Civil Liberties Australia submission DOC

Civil Liberties Australia attachment PDF

Civil Liberties Australia attachment DOC

Department of health submission PDF

Department of health submission PDF

Dr Ann Cahill & Professor Natalia Stoianoff submission DOC

Dr Chris Dent submission PDF

Dr Chris Dent submission DOC

Dr Hazel Moir submission PDF

Dr Hazel Moir submission DOC

Generic Medicines Industry Association submission PDF

Generic Medicines Industry Association submission DOC

Human Genetics Society of Australasia submission PDF

Human Genetics Society of Australasia submission DOC

International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (APPI) submission DOC

Institute of Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys submission DOC

James & Wells Intellectual Property submission PDF

James & Wells Intellectual Property submission DOC

Law Council of Australia submission PDF

Law Council of Australia submission DOC

Medicines Australia submission PDF

Medicines Australia submission DOC

New Zealand Institute of Patent Attorneys submission DOC

Pirate Party submission PDF

Pirate Party submission DOC

Professor Andrew Christie submission PDF

Professor Andrew Christie submission PDF

ResMed submission PDF

ResMed submission DOC

Telstra Corporation Limited submission PDF

Telstra Corporation Limited submission DOC

The Australian Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys FICPA submission DOC

The Law Institute of Victoria submission PDF

The Law Institute of Victoria submission DOC

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists DOC

The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia submission DOC

The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research DOC

University of Tasmania submission DOC

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