Proposed amendments to the Gene Technology Act 2000

Following extensive consultation, the Third Review (The Review) of the National Gene Technology Scheme (The Scheme) made 27 recommendations relating to gene technology.

The Review identified the need to update and enhance the operations of the Scheme to ensure that it is fit-for-purpose into the future and is responsive to rapid changes in technology.

In 2021, the Gene Technology Ministers’ Meeting (GTMM) considered stakeholder feedback received during consultation on a Decision Regulation Impact Statement and agreed to implement the priority recommendations by adopting the preferred risk-tiering regulatory model.

Key features of the option agreed by the GTMM include:

• reducing the level of prescription in some areas of the primary legislation (the GT Act) and including higher level rules and principles with a greater focus on outcomes
• enabling some technical issues to be dealt with in delegated legislation; continuing to ensure oversight by the GTMM and the Parliament while providing a more flexible mechanism for making timely amendments to respond to changes in technology and changes in risk understanding (within the framework of the GT Act)
• enabling certain technical and procedural matters to be delegated to the Gene Technology Regulator (within the parameters set by the GT Act and the Gene Technology Regulations 2001 (the GT Regulations).

Legislative reforms are required to bring the new regulatory model into effect and to update, future proof and modernise the Scheme. The changes aim to ensure the Scheme reflects current best practice, is appropriately flexible and risk based in an environment where the science and inherent risks of gene technology is evolving.

The proposed changes to legislation are the first major changes made to the gene technology legislation since the Scheme’s inception over 20 years ago. This consultation seeks feedback on all parties regarding the proposed amendments in the Gene Technology Amendment Bill 2024 and has been divided into 8 chapters.