Australia Out on a Limb with Plain Pack Decision

Australia Out on a Limb with Plain Pack Decision

Today’s news that British American Tobacco Australia has lost its challenge to the Australian Government’s plain packaging legislation should be cold comfort to Minister Turia, says British American Tobacco New Zealand (BATNZ).

“Australia is alone in passing a plain packaging bill; countries such as Canada have also looked at the measure and chosen not to implement it. Many more countries, including Russia, Mexico, Chile and Indonesia, have raised serious concerns about plain packaging.

“The right of companies to use their intellectual property in the form of brands is an important commercial and legal principle recognised the world over. The New Zealand Government needs to reject this unproven policy and not go out on a limb with Australia,” said BATNZ’s spokesman, Nick Booth.

BATNZ remains strongly opposed to the plain packaging proposal in New Zealand. “The Australian case was based on their Constitution and obviously the legal position in New Zealand is very different, so we’ll continue exploring all of our options to defend our valuable intellectual property,” said Mr Booth.

ENDS

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