DECISION ON ISSUING LICENCE FOR APPLICATION DIR 036/2003

The Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (the Regulator) has made a decision to issue a licence in respect of application DIR 036/2003 from CSIRO.  The application requests approval to undertake a limited and controlled release of genetically modified (GM) insecticidal and insecticidal/herbicide tolerant cottons. The trial will take place over 3 years on up to 15 sites, covering a maximum total area of 25 hectares in Queensland and New South Wales.

The decision to issue the licences was made after extensive consultation on the Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan (RARMP) with the public, State and Territory governments, Australian Government agencies, the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, the Gene Technology Technical Advisory Committee and the relevant local councils, as required by the Gene Technology Act 2000.

Issues relating to the health and safety of people and the protection of the environment raised during the consultation process on the application were considered in finalising the RARMP and in making the decision to issue the licence.

The licence imposes specific conditions to ensure that the risk management plan is implemented, including requirements for a pollen trap, restrictions on the use of the GM cotton seed, post-harvest monitoring of the trial site and a research program to provide data that will be essential for the evaluation of future applications. 

The Executive Summary and complete finalised Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan together with the licence conditions can be obtained on-line from the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator’s website or by contacting the office directly.