Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,

I have noticed some recent changes made to the IPONZ website and would like to know why they were made.

Some of the more important changes are IDENTIFIED WITH CAPITAL LETTERS in the following text taken from the IPONZ website:

"Preparing a patent application is a complex matter. If you intend to file a patent
application, or have recently filed one, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONTACT a patent attorney for assistance.
OTHER LEGAL PROFESSIONALS MAY ACT FOR YOU ON SOME PATENT-RELATED ACTIVITIES. However, only people registered as a patent attorney in New Zealand or Australia – or a registered patent attorney firm in New Zealand or Australia – can do the following for gain (such as payment):
* Apply for, or obtain, a patent in New Zealand or Australia on behalf of someone else
* Prepare and amend patent specifications on behalf of someone else
* Dispense advice (OTHER THAN ADVICE OF A SCIENTIFIC OR TECHNICAL NATURE) to someone else on the validity of patents and their infringement.
It is an offence for anyone else to provide these patent services (INCLUDING ADVICE) in New Zealand and Australia, or hold themselves out as either a patent attorney or an
agent for obtaining patents."

"NEW ZEALAND LAWYERS ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO FOLLOW LEGAL OBLIGATIONS RELATED TO THEIR DUTIES, AND CANNOT GIVE ADVICE THAT LIES BEYOND THEIR SPECIALISATIONS. THIS INCLUDES SITUATIONS WHERE A LAWYER PROVIDES PATENTS ADVICE OR HOLDS THEMSELVES OUT AS AN AGENT FOR OBTAINING PATENTS, DESPITE NOT BEING REGISTERED AS A PATENT ATTORNEY."

Please treat this as a request under the Official Information Act for all correspondence (internal and external) and documentation that led to the highlighted changes being made.

Yours faithfully,
W Hudson