National Māori Authority chair Matthew Tukaki wants Fonterra to withdraw applications to trademark Māori words.
He says it’s a branding push for a product line that the dairy giant is trying to pass off as promoting the use of te reo Māori.
He says the reality is that if it is granted a trademark the company can take anyone else who uses those words to court.
The company already has a trademark for kikorangi for its blue cheeses, and is now seeking to tie up Kāpiti, awa (river), kōwhai (yellow), kānuka (white tea tree), kakato (delicious), pakari (firm), kirīmi (cream), akatea (white rātā), kahurangi (blue), kahikatea (white pine), te tihi (summit) and rarama (gleam) – correcting its error in getting a 2008 trademark for the non-existent word "ramara".
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