Australia's tough new patent laws

The Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Act introduced by the Federal Government this year is set to make it increasingly difficult for Australian entrepreneurs to obtain a valid patent.

The new law requires patent applicants to prove they're making a significant advance on what is already available on the market, thus increasing the standards required to receive patent protection. This brings Australia in line with many overseas countries, and is aimed at preventing the grant of patents over purely speculative inventions.

The amendments will come into effect from April 2013. However, applications filed before this time may be required to meet the new higher standards. 

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