Process of a Trade Mark Application
The best way to ensure you are the only one who can use your trade mark is to register the mark in the country / countries where you want to use it. You can either file directly with an IP office or via the Madrid system (see here for more information).
An overview of the process of an application for registration in New Zealand and Australia, as well as the process for an international (or “Madrid”) application is set out in the flowcharts below.