Why has legislation been introduced to provide for another regulatory body?
The rapid advancement in biotechnology has resulted in the emergence of GMOs that do no fall within the legislative power of existing regulators. The Commonwealth Gene Technology Act 2000 was introduced to protect the environment and the health and safety of Australians, and to increase transparency in industry’s dealings with biotechnology. The Act provides an overall scheme to identify and manage risks posed by, or as a result of, gene technology, and to regulate any areas not currently regulated by an existing regulatory body.
