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The chair of the group representing Māori in international trade discussions says it’s critical to get the first one right.
Te Taumata was formed last year to work with New Zealand’s negotiators in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Chris Karamea Insley says intellectual property has been highlighted as an issue critical to Māori, including the use of Māori symbols and the stoush with Australian honey producers over the use of the term manuka honey.
Te Taumata has pulled together a world-class team of experts, including leading Māori lawyer and trademark expert Lynell Tuffery Huria and French-based intellectual property lawyer Dr Penelope Gibson, who has managed intellectual property rights for artists including Iron Maiden, Pink Floyd and David Bowie.
They’re preparing guidance on what Māori should push for in New Zealand’s trade agreement with the European Union post-Brexit.
"We’ve got to get this one right, hence we need these technical experts to be working for Māori to give us advice because the views that are tabled into this one will logically flow into the subsequent free trade negotiations that are underway as we speak," he says.
Mr Insley says the advice of the experts will be taken back to Māori for consultation in a series of regional hui.
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