A stringent new system to control all commercial releases of genetically modified products in Australia was today announced by the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Dr Michael Wooldridge.

The new measures, to be managed by the Interim Office of the Gene Technology Regulator, strengthen existing arrangements by providing a more rigorous, transparent and accountable decision-making system for the commercial release of genetically modified products.

The arrangements flow from an announcement made in the 1999 Budget to establish a permanent Office of the Gene Technology Regulator by 1 July 2001.

Funding of $7.5 million over two years has been allocated by the Commonwealth for this task.

The Interim Office will put legislation in place to enable the establishment of the permanent OGTR by 1 July 2001.

In the meantime an Interim Office has been established within the Therapeutic Goods Administration of the Department of Health and Aged Care, which will control all applications to conduct research using gene technology as well as any proposals to commercially release GMOs.

The system will be legally enforceable through a contract signed by the Commonwealth and the sponsor of the GMO to ensure that the sponsor complies with the IOGTR's stringent safety requirements.

"There are enormous benefits that can be gained from gene technology, but we have to make sure we get the safety aspect right," Dr Wooldridge said.

"These new arrangements will help safeguard human health and the environment while allowing us to capture the maximum benefit of gene technology for the Australian community, industry and the environment.

"There are substantial community concerns surrounding the introduction of GMOs into the market and I am confident the new measures will go a long way to allaying those concerns.

"Importantly, the new controls provide many opportunities for community input into decisions concerning general release.

"They reflect this Government's commitment to assess public health and safety, and environmental safety before other considerations such as commercial, trade or social benefits which result from use of biotechnology."

Dr Wooldridge said the new system had been designed to ensure greater transparency and community involvement in the process that controls the commercial release of genetically modified organisms.

The IOGTR will continue to seek advice from the Genetic Manipulation Advisory Committee, an expert committee that advises on the scientific safety aspects of GMOs, and Environment Australia for all environmental aspects.

GMAC monitors and provides advice on all research involving GMOs at every stage - from the initial design concept through to commercial release.

The committee must be satisfied that all risks associated with the research are managed, especially those related to public health and safety and the environment.

If GMAC is concerned about the GMO's impact, the research is not permitted to proceed until the concerns have been fully addressed.

The current Chair of GMAC is Emeritus Professor Nancy Millis AC MBE.

The new arrangements strengthen the existing regulatory controls for the release of GMOs. Depending on the end use of the GMO, there are a number of other stringent systems, which also protect public health and environmental safety.

These include: the Australia New Zealand Food Authority, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, National Registration Authority, National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme and the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (see IOGTR Fact Sheet 1).

For more information, see the IOGTR website at:  www.health.gov.au/tga/genetech.htm
Or the GMAC website at www.health.gov.au/tga/gmac/gmachome.htm