IP Australia Corporate Plan 2021-22
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IP Australia Corporate Plan 2021-22
Contents
Director General’s Introduction................................................................................................... 4
Introduction. . ................................................................................................................................. 4
Operating environment................................................................................................................ 5
Strategic objectives ..................................................................................................................... 7
Performance monitoring.............................................................................................................. 9
Performance framework. . ............................................................................................................10
Demand forecast.. ........................................................................................................................ 11
Capability.....................................................................................................................................12
Risk oversight and management................................................................................................15
Painting artwork: Yuliyin Marradhal Yandhul (Past, Present and Future)
Dalmarri artists Jason Douglas a proud member of the Kubi-Kubi people and Trevor Eastwood a proud member of the Ngamba People developed the above painting
following a creative briefing with IP Australia’s RAP Working Group.
Copyright © Commonwealth of Australia 2021
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Permission may need to be obtained from third parties to re-use their material. material in this publication.Director General’s
Introduction
IP Australia’s vision is to create a world leading IP system
that builds prosperity for Australia. We achieve this
through the administration and registration of patents,
trade marks, designs and plant breeder’s rights; the
professional registration of patent and trade mark
attorneys; educating our customers on the role of IP in
their business and providing advice to the Australian
Government to better shape the IP rights system both
domestically and internationally.
Australia’s IP system is essential to promoting jobs and
economic growth. To meet our purpose of ensuring that
Australians benefit from great ideas we are committed to
leveraging our expertise and data to deliver value to the
Australian IP system, stakeholders and the broader economy.
Our customers are at the core of everything we do. We know that our customers expect a simple and intuitive digital
experience when doing business with us. To deliver this now and into the future, we will continue to invest in the
modernisation of our digital platforms and environment to ensure continued support for our customers and our
workforce through the provision of digital end to end services.
Data is one of our most valuable assets. It forms part of Australia’s history and provides economic insights into jobs
and growth. We will progress our data strategy to ensure that our data is available to inform decision making, drive
Australian innovation and support the Government in enabling Australian businesses to thrive and create jobs.
This year will see us continuing to pursue a modern, fit-for-purpose, designs rights system that drives design innovation
and delivers greater benefits to the Australian economy. We will improve our IP system to promote cultural integrity
and economic potential of Indigenous Knowledge; and continue our international engagement strategy to support
Australians to export and invest.
In 2020, an independent review was commissioned to look at accessibility of the patents system for Australian small
and medium-sized enterprises. The review found that more could be done to increase awareness of the IP system
across the business community. IP Australia will therefore escalate our education and outreach to businesses,
researchers and entrepreneurs to better explain the IP system and how it can add value to business.
In 2021, in collaboration with the New Zealand Government, we are undertaking a review of the Trans-Tasman IP
Attorneys Board. This review will ensure that arrangements are fit-for-purpose and benefit the Australian economy. The
review will also ensure that our IP system benefits from the robust and effective regulation of the IP attorney profession.
IP Australia has already undertaken significant development of our workforce to ensure that we can adapt as we create
additional value add products and services for the benefit of our customers. We will continue to invest in talent and
capability development to build the workforce of the future. We have applied lessons learned throughout the past year
to ensure that we are well positioned to quickly respond to COVID-19 outbreaks or other significant events to ensure
that any impact on our customers is minimised.
IP Australia is committed to the reconciliation movement and is developing a new reconciliation action plan (RAP).
The implementation of respect protocols, cultural awareness initiatives, enhanced consultation with First Nations
People and creating opportunities for Indigenous Australians will be at the heart of our RAP. We are also exploring
improvements to Australia’s IP system so that it can help support the cultural integrity and economic potential of
Indigenous Knowledge held by First Nations People.
As the Accountable Authority for IP Australia, I am pleased to present our 2021-22 Corporate Plan which covers the
period 2021-22 to 2024-25 and is presented as required under paragraph 35(1) of the Public Governance, Performance
and Accountability Act 2013.
Michael Schwager
Director General
IP Australia
3Overview
IP Australia’s purpose is ensuring Australians benefit from great ideas. We deliver IP rights administration and
professional registration services, increase awareness of the IP system, and shape the IP system domestically and
internationally to help Australian innovation and business.
IP Australia is responsible for administering Australia’s IP rights system, specifically patents, trade marks, designs and
plant breeder’s rights. Our vision is to create a world leading IP system building prosperity for Australia and this drives
the work that we do. We are committed to building the capability of our people and our organisation to support this
important work.
Delivery of these elements enables us to provide an effective framework for protection of innovative products and
brands. This creates a secure environment for investment in innovation, enables firms to build brand value and
business reputation, and encourages the disclosure of inventions and the transfer of knowledge and technology.
We deliver on our responsibilities by focusing on our three strategic objectives of Operational Excellence, Service
Excellence and Value Add.
IP Australia
OUR VISION
PROVIDES A PICTURE OF WHAT WE
ULTIMATELY WANT TO ACHIEVE
Creating a world leading IP system
building prosperity for Australia
OUR PURPOSE
COMMUNICATES WHY WE EXIST AND
INFORMS THE BASIS OF ALL OUR WORK
Ensuring Australians benefit from great ideas
OUR OBJECTIVES
OUTLINES HOW WE WILL ACHIEVE OUR
PURPOSE, AND HOW WE ORGANISE OUR WORK
OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE SERVICE EXCELLENCE VALUE ADD
High performing core business High performing customer services Our expertise is leveraged to deliver
and internal operations that support our core business value to the IP system, stakeholders
and the broader economy
4Operating environment
As we move to an increasingly globalised and knowledge-based economy, IP is the backbone of most high value
enterprises. Intangible assets now make up the majority of the value of leading global and local companies.
Businesses and markets acknowledge the extent to which IP underwrites their value. We see this in the level of
company value ascribed to IP assets when companies are invested in or sold. We also see that Australian companies
who have IP Rights tend to earn more profits than those without IP Rights. We also see it in the international trade
agenda, where IP is increasingly a key focus of negotiations.
There is also an increased awareness that IP is an important economic asset which can generate growth, jobs and
innovation by encouraging trade, investment, research and development, and technology diffusion. This leads to a
greater focus on developing and implementing policies to attract and retain IP.
IP rights both in Australia and internationally have played a vital role in promoting and nurturing innovation, cooperation
and collaboration to facilitate the rapid development of life-saving diagnostics, vaccines and other technologies to
manage the pandemic and this is set to continue in the future.
It is critical that the IP system in Australia adapts to the continual changing landscape to serve Australian innovation
and business both at home and abroad.
Global demand for IP rights
IP rights provide an incentive for businesses to invest in innovative and entrepreneurial activity, which contributes to
technological development and productivity growth. Filings from international applicants represent a critical feature
of our economy and support foreign investments in our market. Australia has long benefitted from foreign capital and
technology to promote economic growth and ensure prosperity for the people of Australia.
As world economic output fell in 2020, businesses filed less IP rights in Australia. However, as of March 2021, new
filings for trade marks had increased by 33.5 per cent and new filings for patents had increased by
7.4 per cent in comparison to March 2020. Demand for IP rights from domestic filers in the same period has increased
at a higher rate than filers from outside of Australia.
The pandemic has generated demand for patented inventions that will help end the crisis or mitigate its costs.
These include innovations directed at making public places safer by reducing the likely spread of infection as well as
digital tools that facilitate more efficient long-distance communication and collaboration. In comparison to 2019-20,
biotechnology patents increased by 4 per cent and the rate of pharmaceutical research on coronavirus vaccines and
treatments increased substantially with pharmaceutical patent filings increasing by 21 per cent, well above their historic
growth trend.
Notwithstanding concerns over an evolving COVID-19 pandemic and the rollout and community take-up of COVID-19
vaccines, the International Monetary Fund has projected that the global economy will grow 6.0 per cent*. As the
Australian and other advanced economies return to pre-pandemic levels, it is expected that the demand for IP rights
will remain strong from both Australian and international businesses.
Technology drives fast-paced change and opens opportunities
Along with economic globalisation we continue to witness huge technological change. Technologies including artificial
intelligence, big data, the internet of things, advanced robotics, blockchain and biomedical developments such as
CRISPR technology will reshape business, markets and the workforce over the coming decades.
Rapid developments in device connectivity, computing power, artificial intelligence and data capacity are fuelling
growth in digital technologies, with implications for IP functions and processes. Digital technologies provide us with
options for more efficient administration, examination and monitoring of IP rights.
*https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2021/07/27/world-economic-outlook-update-july-2021
5The way we interact with each other has also increasingly moved online. Customers expect leading-edge online
services to facilitate their use of the IP system. Digital information systems are more important than ever and provide
a powerful platform for us to interact with our customers. We are increasingly utilising smart analytics and improved
data holdings to innovate and find efficiencies in how we conduct our work and improved methods to gain insights on
our data. We aim to position IP Australia as a Government leader in digital services and leverage our knowledge and
expertise to add value to the IP system both at home and abroad.
Working together to enable Australians to benefit from great ideas
In addition to administering Australia’s registrable IP rights and Trans-Tasman IP attorney regime, we also promote
awareness of IP, provide advice to Government on the development of IP policy, contribute to bilateral and multilateral
negotiations and develop cooperation programs to support the global IP system. This system will require adjustment to
meet new demands and to keep up with economic, social, legal and business developments. We play a key role to ensure
these changes are in Australia’s best interest and meet customers’ needs.
We regularly engage with national stakeholders such as professional bodies, business groups and other government
agencies, to maintain effectiveness and ensure ongoing improvement of Australia’s IP system. This includes seeking their
views on new and existing policies, such as the protection of Indigenous knowledge or designs reform. Our aim is for
stakeholders to engage with the system and help us make informed changes that provide greater benefits.
We engage internationally, working with bodies such as the World Intellectual Property Organization and other IP offices
to influence international policy and practice that contributes to increased consistency and confidence of international IP
systems. In doing so, Australian businesses are better able to engage with and export to those international markets while
protecting their IP.
Innovators/Business Applicants/Rights Holders (fee payers)
All organisations, big and small, All organisations, big and small, who hold a right
who could potentially apply for a right. including those applying through attorneys.
IP Australia
and the
IP Attorney profession IP system Thought Leaders
Those who assist applicants by Innovators, business, industry
providing advice for drafting, leaders, prominent speakers
filing and defending applications. providing regular commentary.
They provide feedback and we
collaborate on delivery of services.
Government Delivery Partners
Commonwealth departments Business and entrepreneurs – includes
and agencies working together technology companies, message multipliers
to support jobs and growth sharing IP messaging.
6IP Australia sits within the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (DISER) portfolio. In addition to working
closely with the DISER, we actively engage with and seek contributions from other Australian government entities such as
the Attorney-General’s Department, the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, the Department of Foreign
Affairs and Trade and the Department of Health. We provide advice and input to policies and negotiations that may impact
the way in which Australian businesses engage with and benefit from our IP system and those of our trading partners.
We are committed to collaborating with key stakeholders to ensure we capture the benefits of entrepreneurship and
innovation to support jobs and growth. We regularly engage with and seek contribution from our stakeholder groups to
ensure ongoing improvements to the IP system and continued support in securing IP rights for Australians.
Demand forecast
Each year, we forecast the demand for our services across a four-year period (demand forecast) based on historical
application trends. The demand forecast is used to determine the required workforce profile and capacity needed to meet
our Customer Service Charter commitments. This process supports planning and management in our workforce modelling,
efficiencies in our cost recovery framework, and transparency in our internal and external reporting.
In 2020-21, IP Australia forecast a drop in demand for IP rights due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this did not
eventuate across all of the IP rights, as there were increases in both patent and trade mark applications. The increase in
2020-21 patent filings is mainly due to a rise in innovation patent applications being filed prior to the end of the innovation
patent system in August 2021. Over the budget and forward estimates, patent filings are expected to fall, and then stabilise
with minor growth. It is expected that demand for other IP rights will rise, but at a relatively low rate.
2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
PORTFOLIO BUDGET FORWARD FORWARD FORWARD
STATEMENT YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3
APPLICATIONS RECEIVED
Patents 30,277 29,279 29,318 29,475
Plant breeder's rights (PBR) 300 325 350 350
Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) 2,247 2,249 2,239 2,228
Trade marks (TM) 84,452 86,236 88,144 90,111
Designs 6,819 6,956 7,094 7,236
REGISTRATION SERVICE
Trans-Tasman IP Attorneys Board 1,239 1,701 1,230 1,689
Strategic objectives
The below strategic objectives, key activities and performance measures demonstrate how IP Australia will deliver
against Outcome 1: Increased innovation, investment and trade in Australia, and by Australians overseas, through
the administration of the registrable intellectual property rights system, promoting public awareness and industry
engagement, and advising government.
The strategic objectives for our current corporate plan 2021-2025 are:
1. Operational Excellence – ensuring that our core business and internal operations are high performing.
2. Service Excellence – ensuring we have high performing customer services that support our core business.
3. Value Add – that we leverage our expertise to deliver value to the broader IP system and economy.
Our focus for 2021-22 is to continue improving IP rights administration and registration, the provision of valuable
and active engagement with our customers and the provision of quality information and advice to better shape the
domestic and international IP rights system.
7Operational Excellence: High performing core business and internal operations
Maintain high customer satisfaction with the quality and timeliness of IP rights
• Consistently meet our Customer Service Charter commitments, providing quality and timely IP rights
administration.
Provide effective and efficient trans-Tasman attorney registration
• The bilateral arrangement establishing the TTIPA regime for regulation of the IP profession will be reviewed in
collaboration with the NZ Government.
Service Excellence: High performing customer services that support our core business
Improve public awareness of the IP system through tailored education products
• Deliver education and awareness programs to our customers.
• Engage with industry partners to promote the importance of the IP system.
Digital services suit preferences of customers and exceed expectations
• Continue to modernise our ICT platforms and environment to better support our customers.
Build the customer service capability and knowledge of our staff
• Continue to progress our Capability Framework to ensure our staff have the capabilities to support our
customers and effectively administer the IP system.
Value Add: Our expertise is leveraged to deliver value to the IP system,
stakeholders and the broader economy
Increase the accessibility of our data
• Enhance our data capability to ensure that IP Australia’s information is used to deliver, shape and inform policy-
making and services across government as well as for our core business and customers.
• Improve the quality of data we provide through the Australian Government’s open data repository (data.gov.au),
providing more information to enable new areas of research.
Provide high quality and timely advice to Government
• Continue to provide high quality advice to the Government on the development of IP policy and legislation.
• Maintain the quality of ministerial correspondence and briefs.
Trade mark digital authentication
• Trial trade mark digital authentication through our Smart Trade Marks to provide businesses protection
against misuse from counterfeiting and provide consumers confidence that they are purchasing authentic
products and services.
8Performance monitoring
Our approach to measuring our performance against our strategic objectives is outlined below for the next four
reporting periods 2021-22 to 2024-25.
Operational Excellence
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA ANNUAL TARGET
2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
Customer Service Charter (CSC) Meet the 9 key targets under IP Australia’s
and legislative commitments are met Customer Service Charter
Process trans-Tasman attorney registration applications within
100% of applications are processed within the
15 working days from the date that the application complies with
required timeframe
registration requirements.
Service Excellence
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA ANNUAL TARGET
2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
Effective delivery of public education and
awareness programs, which promote the
importance of IP and provide Australians with the
Improved awareness of the IP rights system. tools they require to make informed decisions.
Increase the level of knowledge of Australia’s IP
system on the 2020-21 baseline.
Customer satisfaction with the reliability and effectiveness of 85%+ of customers are satisfied with the reliability
externally facing ICT systems. and effectiveness of externally facing ICT systems.
85%+ of customers are satisfied with our staff is
Customer satisfaction with our staff.
maintained in the customer satisfaction survey.
Value Add
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA ANNUAL TARGET
2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
Increase in number of annual downloads from
IP Australia’s public data is available
data.gov.au
Ministerial briefs and correspondence delivered to
the Minister’s Office are of a high quality with less
Provision of high quality advice to the Australian Government on than 10% requested to be redrafted.
policy, legislation, ministerial correspondence and briefs 100% of ministerial briefs and correspondence
requested by the Minister’s Office are delivered
within the agreed timeframes
9Performance framework
Our key performance setting and reporting documents are the Portfolio Budget Statement (PBS), Annual Report
encompassing the Annual Performance Statement, and our Corporate Plan. Other key controls that contribute to our
performance framework are set out below.
Regulator
The regulator performance framework aims to reduce unnecessary or inefficient regulation imposed on individuals,
business and community organisations. Performance against the framework has been measured through an externally
validated self-assessment report which aims to identify the extent to which a regulator is performing the Government’s
expectations of a regulator’s performance.
New guidance is currently being developed to outline the principles of best practice that underpin the Government’s
expectations of regulators and their performance. It will provide guidance to assist Commonwealth regulators to report
on their performance against these expectations.
The performance expectations and reporting arrangements outlined in the new guidance apply from 1 July 2021. There
will be a transition period of one year, with guidance provided by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
and the Department of Finance to support regulators in implementing the new arrangements.
Environment
We have made a commitment to sustainable operations and the protection of our environment. We do this through
compliance with Government policies and the maintenance of an Environmental Management System (EMS), designed
and certified to ISO 14001:2015. Our Environmental Policy establishes objectives for environmentally sustainable
operations including protecting the environment, preventing pollution and implementing a modern digital workplace
with a smaller, more efficient footprint. We aim to ensure our operations meet or exceed our environmental compliance
obligations and objectives.
Quality
Applying an internationally recognised best practice approach to our business is an important part of our relationship with
our customers. IP Australia is committed to building on our strong reputation for delivering quality products and services.
Through our ISO 9001:2015 certified Quality Management System (QMS) we identify and address customer feedback
and improvements that build the capability and efficiency of our people and our organisation. We have implemented a
streamlined and simplified quality management framework that will drive improvements and innovations in examination
practice over the coming years.
Cost recovery
IP Australia is a cost recovered agency with fees set under IP rights legislation in accordance with the Australian
Government Charging Framework and Cost Recovery Guidelines. With the exception of an annual appropriation of
$0.4 million to cover ministerial services, all of our costs are covered by revenue generated through customer fees.
Further information on the breakdown of expenditure associated with each IP right can be found in our Cost Recovery
Implementation Statement (CRIS).
10Capability
People Strategy
Our People Strategy articulates the key areas IP Australia will continue focusing on to develop and leverage the
capability of our people, and achieve a contemporary and adaptable organisation:
The People Strategy provides a high-level direction for building the capability of our people and works alongside our
Strategic Workforce Plan. These combined plans provide the evidence to inform our approach to meeting our future
workforce needs and how we can best leverage the capability, motivation and engagement of our current workforce.
Specifically, in 2021-22, IP Australia will focus on:
• Workforce capability: implementing and maturing a structured approach to attraction, capability uplift, workforce
planning and succession planning to identify, understand and feed our talent pipeline.
• Workforce safety: supporting and promoting employee safety and wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, and
development of workforce resilience.
11International Engagement Strategy
Our International Engagement Strategy aims to position IP Australia to respond dynamically to challenges and
opportunities as they arise in the international environment.
In 2021-22, international policy engagement will continue to focus on three key issues:
1. Support for Australian Exporters – Researching and tailoring information and support for Australian exporters to
assist them with IP protection and enforcement challenges.
2. Regional Cooperation – Working with regional partners to improve consistency of outcomes in the region and
access to the global services for protecting IP across borders, particularly the Madrid System for the international
registration of trade marks.
3. International Data Offerings – Further developing our collection of public data in partnership with IP Offices and
international organisations to provide improved data for analysis, economic and policy insights.
Building and strengthening the multilateral system in the interests of Australian innovators and business will continue
to be an overarching international policy engagement priority.
IT Strategy 2022
Our IT Strategy 2022 aligns the agency’s technology direction with our Corporate Plan and supports the delivery of
strategic objectives. Our strategic objectives guide our prioritisation of technology initiatives and promotes innovation
and utilisation of new digital capabilities to increase the speed of delivery.
The IT Strategy 2022 has been developed to ensure our technology meets the needs and expectations of our
workforce, our customers and our broader stakeholder groups. Our IT Strategy will:
• Modernise the administration of IP rights - supporting efficiency, reliability and high quality.
• Simplify, secure and stabilise our IT foundations – with a strong focus on cyber security methods and techniques.
• Enable us to be a Government leader in the provision of digital services.
• Transition our agency to business centric delivery.
• Empower the agency and broader stakeholders through the utilisation and sharing of our information.
• Build the capability that enables us to research, develop and embed smart systems to improve the way we do
business.
Our IT Strategy is reviewed annually in the light of evolving business needs and technological advancements. Each
review will include an environmental scan of emerging business needs, architectural directions, relevant industry
innovations and Whole of Australian Government policy directions.
12Capital Investment Strategy
IP Australia applies a strategic approach to the investment, development and delivery of new and improved technology
to modernise and transform service delivery for the benefit of customers and to support the achievement of the
organisation’s outcome for Government.
To drive this agenda, IP Australia has a healthy balance sheet supported by forecasted moderate growth of our cash
reserves, that places us in a solid position to respond flexibly to new investment opportunities and as we prepare for
our next peak investment cycle (approaching 2030).
We will continue to focus our efforts to modernise and upgrade our business-critical ICT platforms, replace existing
assets as they fully depreciate, and provide solutions to enhance our service delivery and operational capabilities for
our customers and the workforce.
There are five key areas for capital investment in 2021-22:
1. Improvements of our patents administration systems
2. Enhancing and modernising our customer service and information channels
3. Uplifting the cyber security position of our IT environment
4. Continued development of our data analytics capabilities as aligned to our Information Matters Strategy
5. Supporting the IT Strategy 2022.
13Risk oversight and management
Overview
At IP Australia we look at risk and its management from two perspectives; one that considers events that may have a
negative impact on our business (i.e. threats), and one that considers embracing some level of risk as an opportunity.
Under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013, the Director General has overall responsibility
for ensuring an appropriate risk management framework is in place and managing our risk performance.
IP Australia’s risk management framework comprises:
• Accountable Authority Instructions—sets out instructions from the Director General regarding managing risk within
IP Australia.
• Risk Management Policy and Framework—defines IP Australia’s approach to the management of risk, including
our attitude to and objectives for risk management.
• Risk Management Plan—ensures that risk management processes are efficiently integrated into day-to-day work.
• Risk objectives, appetites, and tolerances—the framework used by IP Australia to measure risk.
• Information sheets—provide a pragmatic, simple and consistent approach to help staff manage risk.
IP Australia’s Executive Board is responsible for overseeing implementation of the risk management framework, with
all staff responsible for the day-to-day management of risk. The Executive Board reviews strategic risks on a quarterly
basis, identifying, managing and monitoring strategic risks that could impact agency objectives. IP Australia’s Audit
Committee also provides the Director General with independent advice and assurance as to the appropriateness of
IP Australia’s system of risk oversight and management in accordance with the Public Governance, Performance and
Accountability Rule 2014.
IP Australia reviewed its risk management framework in 2020–21, as a part of ongoing efforts to raise its level of risk
maturity. The revised framework was endorsed by the Executive Board in February 2021 with enhancements to the
framework to be implemented throughout 2021–22.
Risk appetite
IP Australia’s risk appetite involves effectively managing uncertainty, not only avoiding or eliminating risk. Our risk
appetite allows us to consider opportunities that involve the acceptance of some risk. Accordingly, IP Australia is
prepared to pursue, retain or accept risk that has been well considered, thoroughly assessed and is managed and
monitored appropriately. This is done in an open and transparent manner to reduce threats and seize opportunities for
the benefit of the organisation.
Strategic risks
IP Australia faces a broad range of risks reflecting its responsibilities as an administrator and service provider for
Australia’s IP rights system. The following categories of strategic risk are used by the Executive Board to measure and
monitor threats and opportunities that may impact the achievement of IP Australia’s strategic objectives and purpose.
14RISK CATEGORY RISK DEFINITION RISK RESPONSE
IP ecosystem IP Australia is committed to fostering a thriving We have established processes for the identification
IP ecosystem that inspires and encourages and prioritisation of policy issues to ensure the IP
innovation, achieves government objectives legislative framework keeps pace with what we are
relating to jobs and growth and adds value to the doing, and what is happening within the broader
global IP community. We uphold the integrity of the IP ecosystem, including through our International
system and keep it safe from abuse. Engagement Strategy.
Confidence In carrying out our responsibilities as an The production of high quality IP rights is critical
administrator and service provider for Australia’s to our work and is supported through the
IP rights system, we are committed to maintaining implementation of our Quality Management System.
public confidence in our delivery of high-quality IP Our strong commitment to customer service is
rights. Our customers must have trust in the value measured annually against our Customer Service
of IP, have confidence in our ability to meet their Charter commitments.
needs, be able to easily interact with our services,
IP Australia’s Information and Data Committee is
and have access to accurate information and data.
responsible for the governance of information and
data management within the Agency.
Customer and IP Australia must engage effectively with a diverse IP Australia’s Communication and Partnerships
Stakeholder range of customers and stakeholders, domestically Committee is responsible for the growth and
Engagement and internationally. Our approach is to focus on sustainment of relationships with customers,
collaboration and meaningful engagement to stakeholders and partners.
improve our effectiveness, performance, and
expand our sphere of influence.
Governance IP Australia is responsible for meeting and We have established frameworks, and underpinning
administering our legislative responsibilities, policies and procedures, to govern IP Australia in
fulfilling the Commonwealth’s policy agenda, accordance with our legislative obligations. The
adhering to our Accountable Authority Instructions, Executive Board has responsibility for overseeing
and maintaining relevant certifications. implementation, and we make use of our annual
internal audit program to provide independent advice
and assurance.
Financial IP Australia’s mandate as an agency is cost Our established governance arrangements, financial
recovery rather than profit. We take a strategic management practices and internal controls, enable
approach to investment to ensure our long-term us to monitor, manage and report on our entity’s
sustainability and build our capacity to adapt financial performance, sustainability and deliverables
to the changing needs of our customers and against strategic objectives. These activities are
stakeholders. overseen by IP Australia’s Investment, ICT and
Property Committee.
Workforce IP Australia utilises its diverse, agile and capable We have established a Strategic Workforce Plan and
workforce to deliver value to the Australian People Strategy to inform leveraging our existing
community, and international partners. We aim workforce and determining how we can meet future
to be an employer of choice at the forefront of workforce needs. The Workforce Strategy Committee
flexible working solutions. oversees the governance of workforce issues.
ipaustralia.gov.au
© Commonwealth of Australia 2021
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