Damage Caused by GMOs under Australian Law: Australia

Abstract

The regulation of the release of genetically modified organisms into the environment is governed by legislation both from the federal government and the various state governments. Because the Commonwealth of Australia is a federation and the federal government does not have legislative competence over gene technology, the introduction of legislation to regulate gene technology required an agreement between the federal, and state and territory, governments. The agreement was made in 1990 and after negotiations a series of Gene Technology Acts were passed by the federal government and in all the states and territories. This legislation is known as the Gene Technology Act.