Patent Office
APO · Commonwealth Patent Office · Australian Patent Office
1 June 1904 – 1992
Renamed Australian Industrial Property Organisation in 1992.
Commonwealth office, headed by the Commissioner of Patents, that examined and granted patents for inventions for the whole of Australia. After absorbing the trade marks and designs registries it administered all three forms of industrial property.
Names over time
- Patent Office1904–1992
- Australian Industrial Property Organisation1992–1998
- IP Australia1998–present
How it came into existence
Created on 1 June 1904, when the Patents Act 1903 came into operation and transferred the administration of patents from the states to the Commonwealth. The office opened in Melbourne under the Commissioner of Patents, in the Attorney-General's portfolio; it had no Commonwealth predecessor.
Legislation: Patents Act 1903; Patents Act 1952; Patents Act 1990; Trade Marks Act 1905; Trade Marks Act 1955; Designs Act 1906
Changes during its life
- 1933A small number of staff moved from Melbourne to the federal capital, Canberra.
- 1952The Patents Act 1952 was enacted to replace the Patents Act 1903.
- 1955The Trade Marks Act 1955 was enacted to replace the Trade Marks Act 1905.
- 22 December 1975Moved with patents, trade marks and designs from the Attorney-General's Department to the new Department of Business and Consumer Affairs.
- 8 November 1976Moved to the new Department of Productivity.
- 3 November 1980Moved to the new Department of Science and Technology.
- 13 December 1984Remained with science when the Department of Science and Technology was renamed the Department of Science.
- 24 July 1987Moved to the Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce when the Department of Science was abolished.
- 30 April 1991The Patents Act 1990 came into force, replacing the Patents Act 1952.
- Registration of trade marks
- Registration of designs
How it ended
Renamed the Australian Industrial Property Organisation in 1992, which continued to administer patents, trade marks and designs.
Main functions
- Examination and grant of patents for inventions
- Maintenance of the register of patents
- Registration of trade marks (after absorbing the Trade Marks Office)
- Registration of designs (after absorbing the Designs Office)
- Publication of official patent and trade mark notices
Where it sits
Last in the portfolio of Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce.
Lineage
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Sources
Government records and websites
Some dates or links for this organisation are not fully confirmed. Corrections are welcome.