Intellectual property arrangements

Public inquiry

The Australian Government asked the Productivity Commission to undertake a 12 month public inquiry into Australia's intellectual property system. This inquiry is now complete.

Issues paper 7 Oct 2015
Draft report 29 Apr 2016
Final report 20 Dec 2016

The issues paper covers a range of issues on which the Commission sought information and feedback, and was intended to assist you in preparing a submission.

Read the issues paper

The draft report was released on 29 April 2016 for further information and feedback.

Please note: The draft report is for research purposes only. For final outcomes of this inquiry refer to the inquiry report.

Read the draft report

The final report was handed to the Australian Government on 23 September 2016 and publicly released 20 December 2016.

Read the report

In undertaking this inquiry, the Commission was asked to consider whether current arrangements provide an appropriate balance between access to ideas and products, and encouraging innovation, investment and the production of creative works.

In recommending changes to the current system to improve the overall wellbeing of Australian society the Commission was to have regard to:

incentives for innovation and investment, including freedom to build on existing innovation
Australia's international trade obligations
the relative contribution of intellectual property to the Australian economy
the economy-wide and distributional consequences of recommendations, including their impacts on trade and competition
ensuring the intellectual property system will be efficient and robust through time, in light of economic changes
how proposed changes fit with, or may require changes to, other existing regulation or forms of assistance
the relevant findings and recommendations of recently completed reviews.