Bureaucratic backlog drags down patent grants

Australia’s innovation profile might not be a bad as it seems. New data from the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research reveals that the number of patents granted in Australia fell from 13,702 in 2002 to 9426 in 2006.

Australia’s innovation profile might not be a bad as it seems.

New data from the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research reveals that the number of patents granted in Australia fell from 13,702 in 2002 to 9426 in 2006.

But that’s not because Australian companies have stopped innovating. In fact, the number of patent applications increased during that period, rising from 22,565 to 25,552.

The problem? There were not enough patent examiners. IP Australia says in the latest edition of its IP Scorecard that it has increased the number of patent examiners by 27% since 2004-05. “Current indications are that the backlog of applications is reducing,” the report says.

Trademarks continue to be the most popular form of intellectual property protection in Australia, with the number of trademark applications increasing by 9.8% between 2005 and 2006 to 101,919.

The top five technology groups by patents granted were handling and printing; civil engineering, building and mining; information technology; consumer goods and equipment; and medical engineering.

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