Creative New Zealand, which has spent $26,000 filing 234 trademark applications to stop Maori images being ripped off, has had 39 using the words "Maori Made" turned down.
John Hackett, a partner in the Auckland law firm AJ Park, said he was "astounded" that Creative NZ had filed so many applications with the Intellectual Property Office at such a cost to register the words.
"Any specialist in intellectual property law would have been able to advise Creative New Zealand that it would be likely to fail because the words "Maori Made" are descriptive words", he said.
"If Creative New Zealand can waste money on something where they should have got some straightforward advice, it may be that the whole idea of intellectual property should be handled by Maori themselves, rather than a Government agency".
The trademark is an initiative of Creative NZ, Maori artists and iwi to stop Maori imagery being ripped off and to allow overseas tourists and New Zealanders to identify authentic indigenous art works.
Creative New Zealand rejected the accusation that it wasted time and money applying for a trademark that was destined to be rejected.
Margaret Te Hiko, a spokeswoman for Te Waka Toi (the Maori Arts Board at Creative New Zealand), said legal advice had been sought throughout the process.
She confirmed 234 applications had been made at a cost of $26,300. The number of applications was necessary because the arts covered so many areas, she said.
The applications for using the words "Maori Made" were not expected to succeed, but it was important to try.
Iwi had been encouraged to get their own trademark, but the consultation involved had proved time-consuming.
Ms Te Hiko said that Te Waka Toi had a responsibility to support and promote Maori arts. Money from the Government's cultural recovery package, announced last May, allowed it to do so.
Creative New Zealand's Maori development manager, Rikirangi Moeau, said Maori artists had been calling for a brand for many years, and the organisation was responding to this call.
Creative New Zealand hoped to launch the trademark in November. Artists using it must first prove that they are of Maori descent and their work must be approved by a panel comprising representatives from Te Waka Toi and a selection of Maori art specialists.
- NZPA
Failed bid to protect Maori art costly
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