Prominent business leader Paul Morgan, has condemned a ruling by the Intellectual Property Office that effectively lets Australian honey producers call their product Manuka, asserting it deals a blow to Māori language, culture, and business.
The office's decision deemed the term "manuka" as descriptive, preventing the Manuka Charitable Trust from trademarking it and limiting its use exclusively to approved New Zealand beekeepers.
Morgan says the ruling underscores significant deficiencies in New Zealand's legal framework compared to the robust protections offered in other regions, such as the UK and Europe.
In Europe for example, the term champagne can only be used to describe sparkling wine produced from grapes from France's Champagne region, safeguarding the intellectual property rights of the french producers.
Morgan, who serves as a director on the board of the High Value Nutrition National Science Challenge, told Radio Waatea there was a need for greater awareness among New Zealand business leaders about the protection of intellectual property.
Morgan says the mana of intangible assets within businesses need to be preserved, to realise their value and uphold the integrity and cultural significance of Māori heritage for future generations.
"We need to be more sophisticated in these areas, particularly when it comes to intellectual property," Morgan said.
"Our business leaders must understand how to protect our intellectual property as it represents a valuable aspect of our businesses," he stated.
A national hui is scheduled to take place at Ōrākei Marae on July 26. This gathering will provide a platform for stakeholders to discuss the consequences of the decision and determine the appropriate course of action moving forward.