Act’s opposition leaves rugby union exposed

  • Trevor Mallard
Sport and Recreation

Act was the only political party at Parliament to oppose legislation that would have given the New Zealand Rugby Union protection for the use of the All Blacks name and registered silver fern, Sports Minister Trevor Mallard said today.

Trevor Mallard released correspondence and copies of draft legislation to clarify the process that went on last week when an amendment to the Statutes Amendment Bill had to be dropped because of opposition from just one party - Act.

“The amendment would have made it an offence for anyone to use the All Blacks name or registered fern for commercial gain without the consent of the New Zealand Rugby Union.”

"Thanks to Act’s opposition, the rugby union will now be exposed to hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in legal fees in trying to prosecute the rip-off merchants who use the name and logo. Since 1991 more than 150 cases have had to be taken against rip-offs. The potential legal costs because of Act’s latest move, means less money for the game of rugby, from clubs through to juniors.”

Trevor Mallard said a compromise meant the legislative protection would have lasted only until the end of the rugby world cup next year, with the aim that a new bill would be drafted and go through the public submission process that would provide a more enduring solution.

“Act twice agreed to the changes made, and twice changed its mind,” Trevor Mallard said.

“Act’s request to delay the legislation for a week was impossible, as the party should have known, because of the number of bills already set down to be debated under urgency. There was a significant risk that time would have run out and the bill would not have been passed – leaving no guarantees of protection for the rugby union, and also impacting on amendments to more than 30 other pieces of unrelated legislation in the Statutes Amendment Bill.”

Trevor Mallard said early next year he would discuss with the rugby union other options that will assist in getting the necessary legal protection in time for the world cup.