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The Patenting of Life forms Focus Group ("Focus Group") was formed by the Ministry of Commerce ("the Ministry") at the suggestion of attendees at one of the Ministry's 1994 hui on the proposed Intellectual Property Law Reform Bill. The Focus Group is comprised of the following members:

• Pauline Tangiora (Chair);
• Del Wihongi (WAI 262 Claim Leader);

Representatives of Nga Ringa Whakahaere - particularly Dennis Lihou and Apera Clarke;

• Sydney Clarke;
• Jacqui Te Kani;
• Di Crengle;
• The late Charles Mohi (the Ministry of Commerce's Kaumatua); and
• Arama Puriri (the Ministry of Commerce's Kaumatua).

Others who attended the meetings as observers were Tania Tetitaha (Counsel for the Wai 262 Claimants) and officials from the Ministries of Commerce and Maori Development. The Focus Group also acknowledges the contributions of Aroha Mead and Richie Cribb who, although not involved in the whole of the process, made significant contributions to the Focus Group's discussions.

The Focus Group was a forum for discussion for interested Maori individuals to provide information to the Ministry of Commerce which could be used in development of material for further consultation with iwi on the reform of patent laws. The purpose of the Focus Group was to identify for the Ministry some issues of probable concern to Maori to stimulate discussion amongst iwi prior to the actual round of consultation hui.

For a diagram of the process of amending the Patents Act please see Appendix I.of the Ministry of Commerce's "Patenting of Biotechnological Inventions" document.

The Focus Group's terms of reference for writing this paper were:

1. To review and assess the Patents Act 1953 ("the Patents Act") in relation to the status of life form inventions. There are two specific issues of concern:
   1. What life forms are patentable?
   2. How should the Act tackle the issue?
2. To ensure continuance of wider discussion and input from Maori on the status of patentability of life form inventions. (See "Part Two: Reforms to the Patents Act 1953" for more information on life form inventions)
3. To give a background on the range of views on the patentability of life forms to take out among Maori.