Contents

Chapter 1--Introductory                                                                                                   1

Part 1--Preliminary                                                                                                              1

1............ Short title [see Note 1] ........................................................................ 1

2............ Commencement ................................................................................... 1

3............ Crown to be bound ............................................................................. 2

4............ Application of the Act ......................................................................... 2

Part 2--Interpretation                                                                                                         3

5............ Definitions .......................................................................................... 3

6............ Definition of product .......................................................................... 6

7............ Definition of visual feature ................................................................. 7

8............ References in this Act to a design ....................................................... 7

Chapter 2--Design rights, ownership and registrable designs                   8

Part 1--Simplified outline of Chapter 2                                                                   8

9............ Simplified outline ................................................................................ 8

Part 2--Design rights                                                                                                            9

10.......... Exclusive rights of registered owners ................................................. 9

11.......... Assignment of interest in a design ...................................................... 9

12.......... Power of registered owner to deal with registered design ................. 10

Part 3--Ownership of designs                                                                                       11

13.......... Who is entitled to be registered as the registered owner of a design .. 11

14.......... Ownership of registered designs ....................................................... 12

Part 4--Registrable designs: Validity                                                                       13

Division 1--Registrable designs                                                                             13

15.......... Registrable designs ........................................................................... 13

16.......... Designs that are identical or substantially similar in overall impression 13

17.......... Certain things to be disregarded in deciding whether a design is new and distinctive               14

18.......... Certain designs not to be treated as other than new and distinctive ... 14

Division 2--Substantial similarity in overall impression                          16

19.......... Factors to be considered in assessing substantial similarity in overall impression     16

Chapter 3--Design applications                                                                                   17

Part 1--Simplified outline of Chapter 3                                                                 17

20.......... Simplified outline .............................................................................. 17

Part 2--Design applications                                                                                            18

Division 1--Applications                                                                                            18

21.......... Person may file a design application ................................................. 18

22.......... A design application may be in respect of more than one design ...... 18

23.......... Design applications covering excluded designs ................................ 19

Division 2--How Registrar must deal with a design application         20

24.......... Design applications that meet the minimum filing requirements ........ 20

25.......... Publication of receipt of application .................................................. 20

Division 3--Filing date and priority date                                                         21

26.......... Filing date ......................................................................................... 21

27.......... Priority date ....................................................................................... 21

Part 3--Amendment or withdrawal of design applications                        22

28.......... Amendment of design applications ................................................... 22

29.......... Disputes between applicants ............................................................. 22

30.......... Persons may ask for design application to proceed in the person's name 23

31.......... Publication of certain details of amended application ........................ 23

32.......... Withdrawal of designs and design applications ................................. 23

Part 4--Lapsing of design applications                                                                   25

33.......... Lapsing of design applications .......................................................... 25

Chapter 4--Registration or publication of designs                                          26

Part 1--Simplified outline of Chapter 4                                                                 26

34.......... Simplified outline .............................................................................. 26

Part 2--Requests for registration or publication                                              27

35.......... Request for registration or publication .............................................. 27

36.......... Request for registration or publication--applications in respect of more than one design         27

37.......... Request in respect of designs excluded from an application in respect of more than one design               28

38.......... Replacement of request for registration with request for publication . 28

Part 3--Registration                                                                                                            29

Division 1--Formalities check                                                                                29

39.......... Formalities check--applications in respect of one design only ......... 29

40.......... Formalities check--applications in respect of more than one design . 29

41.......... Registrar must give applicants an opportunity to correct deficiencies 30

42.......... What happens after Registrar gives notice under section 41 .............. 30

43.......... Registrar must refuse to register certain designs ............................... 31

44.......... Registrar must register certain designs after refusal .......................... 31

Division 2--Registration procedures                                                                  32

45.......... Registrar must notify applicant of registration and give public notice 32

Division 3--Term of registration                                                                          33

46.......... Term of registration ........................................................................... 33

47.......... Renewal of registration ..................................................................... 33

48.......... Ceasing of registration ...................................................................... 33

49.......... Surrender of registration ................................................................... 34

50.......... Revocation of registration on surrender ............................................ 34

Division 4--Revocation on grounds relating to entitled persons         36

51.......... Revocation of registration on grounds relating to entitled persons .... 36

52.......... Procedures in relation to application .................................................. 36

53.......... Applications by persons declared to be entitled persons in court proceedings           37

54.......... Applications by entitled persons after revocation following surrender of registration               37

55.......... Priority date of design if an application filed by a person declared to be an entitled person       38

56.......... Meaning of original registered owner .............................................. 38

Part 4--Publication                                                                                                              39

57.......... Publication of a design ...................................................................... 39

58.......... What happens after Registrar gives notice under section 57 .............. 39

59.......... Refusal to publish ............................................................................. 40

Part 5--Certain documents to be available for public inspection           41

60.......... Design applications for registered designs and associated documents to be open for public inspection    41

61.......... Certain documents not to be published .............................................. 42

Chapter 5--Examination of designs                                                                          43

Part 1--Simplified outline of Chapter 5                                                                 43

62.......... Simplified outline .............................................................................. 43

Part 2--Requests for examination                                                                              44

63.......... Examination of design ....................................................................... 44

64.......... Requirements for request for examination of design ......................... 44

Part 3--Examination                                                                                                          46

65.......... What Registrar must do in examining a design ................................. 46

66.......... Amendment of registration ................................................................ 46

67.......... Certificate of examination where registration valid ............................ 47

68.......... Revocation of registration after examination ..................................... 48

Part 4--Material may be provided to Registrar                                                49

69.......... Certain material may be provided to Registrar ................................... 49

Chapter 6--Infringement                                                                                                50

Part 1--Simplified outline of Chapter 6                                                                 50

70.......... Simplified outline .............................................................................. 50

Part 2--Infringement of registered design                                                            51

71.......... Infringement of design ...................................................................... 51

72.......... Certain repairs do not infringe registered design ............................... 52

73.......... Infringement proceedings .................................................................. 53

74.......... Counter-claims .................................................................................. 54

75.......... Remedies for infringement ................................................................ 54

76.......... Intervention by Registrar ................................................................... 55

Part 3--Relief from unjustified threats                                                                   56

77.......... Application for relief from unjustified threats ................................... 56

78.......... Court's power to grant relief ............................................................. 56

79.......... Counter-claim .................................................................................... 56

80.......... Mere notification of registration not a threat ...................................... 57

81.......... Legal practitioners, registered patent attorneys and registered trade marks attorneys                 57

Chapter 7--Jurisdiction and powers of courts                                                   58

Part 1--Simplified outline of Chapter 7                                                                 58

82.......... Simplified outline .............................................................................. 58

Part 2--Jurisdiction                                                                                                             59

83.......... Jurisdiction of Federal Court ............................................................. 59

84.......... Jurisdiction of other prescribed courts .............................................. 59

85.......... Exercise of jurisdiction ...................................................................... 59

86.......... Transfer of proceedings etc. .............................................................. 60

87.......... Appeals ............................................................................................. 60

88.......... Powers of Federal Court on hearing an appeal .................................. 61

89.......... Registrar may appear in appeals ........................................................ 61

Part 3--Compulsory licences and revocation of registration                     62

90.......... Person may apply to court for compulsory licence ............................ 62

91.......... Terms of compulsory licence ............................................................ 62

92.......... Revocation of registration after grant of compulsory licence ............. 63

Part 4--Revocation of registration by court in other circumstances    64

93.......... Revocation of registration in other circumstances ............................. 64

Chapter 8--The Crown                                                                                                    65

Part 1--Simplified outline of Chapter 8                                                                 65

94.......... Simplified outline .............................................................................. 65

Part 2--Use by the Crown                                                                                              66

95.......... Meaning of terms .............................................................................. 66

96.......... Use of design by the Commonwealth or a State ................................ 66

97.......... Applicants, entitled persons and registered owners to be informed of use                67

98.......... Terms of use ..................................................................................... 67

99.......... Previous agreements inoperative ....................................................... 67

100........ Infringement ...................................................................................... 68

101........ Declaration by court .......................................................................... 68

102........ Use of design to cease under court order .......................................... 68

103........ Sale of products ................................................................................ 69

104........ Forfeited products ............................................................................. 69

105........ Supply of products by the Commonwealth to foreign countries ....... 69

Part 3--Acquisition by and assignments to the Crown                                 70

106........ Acquisition of design by the Commonwealth ................................... 70

107........ Assignment of design to the Commonwealth .................................... 70

Part 4--Prohibition orders                                                                                              72

108........ Prohibition of publication of information about designs ................... 72

109........ Publication of information about designs .......................................... 72

Chapter 9--The Register                                                                                                 74

110........ Simplified outline .............................................................................. 74

111........ Registrar must keep Register ............................................................. 74

112........ Register may be kept by computer .................................................... 74

113........ Inspection of Register ....................................................................... 75

114........ Amendments of Register to record changes of ownership ................ 75

115........ Amendments of Register made to give effect to certain decisions ..... 76

116........ Reissue of certificates ........................................................................ 76

117........ Trusts not to be entered in Register ................................................... 76

118........ Evidentiary provision ........................................................................ 76

119........ Admissibility of unregistered interests .............................................. 77

120........ Rectification of Register .................................................................... 77

Chapter 10--Administration                                                                                         79

121........ Simplified outline .............................................................................. 79

122........ Registrar ............................................................................................ 79

123........ Deputy Registrars ............................................................................. 79

124........ Delegation by Registrar ..................................................................... 80

125........ Designs Office .................................................................................. 80

126........ Seal of Designs Office ...................................................................... 80

127........ Registrar's Powers ............................................................................ 80

128........ Recovery of costs .............................................................................. 81

Chapter 11--Miscellaneous                                                                                            82

Part 1--Simplified outline of Chapter 11                                                               82

129........ Simplified outline .............................................................................. 82

Part 2--Fees                                                                                                                             83

130........ Fees ................................................................................................... 83

Part 3--Offences                                                                                                                   84

131........ False entries in Register .................................................................... 84

132........ False representation that a design is registered .................................. 84

133........ False representations about the Designs Office ................................. 85

134........ Failure to comply with requirements of Registrar ............................. 85

135........ Officers not to traffic etc. in designs ................................................. 86

Part 4--Review of the Registrar's decisions                                                         87

136........ Review by Administrative Appeals Tribunal .................................... 87

Part 4A--Doing act after end of period otherwise provided for doing it                 88

136A..... Doing act when Designs Office reopens after end of period otherwise provided for doing act                 88

Part 5--Extensions of time                                                                                              90

137........ Extensions of time ............................................................................. 90

138........ Consequences of extension ............................................................... 91

139........ Protection of third parties .................................................................. 91

140........ Infringement proceedings .................................................................. 92

Part 6--Other                                                                                                                          93

141........ Powers of agents ............................................................................... 93

142........ Right of lien of registered patent attorney and registered trade marks attorney          93

143........ Revocation of registration does not affect court decisions and things done under contracts before revocation          93

144........ Filing of documents .......................................................................... 93

145........ Service of documents ........................................................................ 93

146........ Death of applicant before application determined .............................. 94

147........ Death of person after design registered ............................................. 94

148........ Exercise of discretionary power by Registrar .................................... 94

149........ Regulations ....................................................................................... 94

Chapter 12--Repeal, transitional and saving provisions                              97

Part 1--Repeal of Designs Act 1906                                                                          97

150........ Repeal ............................................................................................... 97

Part 2--Transitional and saving provisions                                                          98

151........ Application of this Act to certain designs .......................................... 98

152........ Term of registration of certain designs .............................................. 98

153........ Applications made before commencing day ...................................... 99

154........ Other applications and proceedings ................................................... 99

155........ Pending proceedings ......................................................................... 99

156........ Infringement under old Act ............................................................... 99

157........ Registrar and Deputy Registrar ....................................................... 100

158........ The Register .................................................................................... 101

159........ Conversion of transitional applications ........................................... 101

160........ Effect of a converted application ..................................................... 101

160A..... Approvals under subsection 40A(6) of old Act .............................. 102

161........ Definitions ...................................................................................... 102

Notes                                                                                                                                            105

An Act relating to designs, and for related purposes

  

Notes to the Designs Act 2003

Note 1

The Designs Act 2003 as shown in this compilation comprises Act No. 147, 2003 amended as indicated in the Tables below.

For all relevant information pertaining to application, saving or transitional provisions see Table A.

Table of Acts

Act	Number and year	Date of Assent	Date of commencement	Application, saving or transitional provisions
Designs Act 2003	147, 2003	17 Dec 2003	Ss. 3-161: 17 June 2004 Remainder: Royal Assent
Intellectual Property Laws Amendment Act 2006	106, 2006	27 Sept 2006	Schedule 12 (items 1, 2): 27 Mar 2007 Schedule 15 (item 1): 28 Sept 2006	--
Personal Property Securities (Consequential Amendments) Act 2009	131, 2009	14 Dec 2009	Schedule 2 (items 1-7): 30 Jan 2012 (see F2011L02397)	Sch. 2 (item 7)
Personal Property Securities (Corporations and Other Amendments) Act 2010	96, 2010	6 July 2010	Schedule 3 (item 1): (a)	--
Acts Interpretation Amendment Act 2011	46, 2011	27 June 2011	Schedule 2 (item 532) and Schedule 3 (items 10, 11): 27 Dec 2011	Sch. 3 (items 10, 11)

(a)     Subsection 2(1) (item 8) of the Personal Property Securities (Corporations and Other Amendments) Act 2010 provides as follows:

                 (1)   Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.

 

Commencement information
Column 1	Column 2	Column 3
Provision(s)	Commencement	Date/Details
8.  Schedule 3, item 1	Immediately after the commencement of item 1 of Schedule 2 to the Personal Property Securities (Consequential Amendments) Act 2009.	30 January 2012

Table of Amendments

ad. = added or inserted     am. = amended     rep. = repealed     rs. = repealed and substituted
Provision affected	How affected
Chapter 1
Part 2
S. 5......................................	am. No. 131, 2009; No. 96, 2010
Chapter 2
Part 2
S. 12....................................	am. No. 131, 2009
Part 4
Division 1
Note to s. 15(2)..................	am. No. 46, 2011
Chapter 9
Ss. 118, 119........................	am. No. 131, 2009
Chapter 10
S. 124..................................	am. No. 106, 2006
Chapter 11
Part 1
S. 129..................................	am. No. 106, 2006
Part 4A
Part 4A of Chap. 11...........	ad. No. 106, 2006
S. 136A...............................	ad. No. 106, 2006

Table A

Application, saving or transitional provisions

Personal Property Securities (Consequential Amendments) Act 2009
(No. 131, 2009)

Schedule 2

7  Application of amendments of the Designs Act 2003

(1)       The amendment of the Designs Act 2003 made by item 2 of this Schedule does not apply in relation to a dealing that starts before the time the item commences.

(2)       The amendment of the Designs Act 2003 made by item 3 of this Schedule does not apply in relation to the enforcement of an equity if the equity starts to be enforced before the time the item commences.

(3)       The amendments of the Designs Act 2003 made by items 4, 5 and 6 of this Schedule do not apply in relation to any proceedings in a court or tribunal in relation to designs (or interests in designs) that are commenced before the time the items commence.

Note:       Items 2 to 6 commence at the registration commencement time within the meaning of section 306 of the Personal Property Securities Act 2009.

Acts Interpretation Amendment Act 2011 (No. 46, 2011)

Schedule 3

10  Saving--appointments

The amendments made by Schedule 2 do not affect the validity of an appointment that was made under an Act before the commencement of this item and that was in force immediately before that commencement.

11  Transitional regulations

The Governor-General may make regulations prescribing matters of a transitional nature (including prescribing any saving or application provisions) relating to the amendments and repeals made by Schedules 1 and 2.