Gene Technology Amendment (2019 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2019 (Cth)
I, General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Ret’d), Governor‑General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, make the following regulations.
Dated 04 April 2019
Peter Cosgrove
Governor‑General
By His Excellency’s Command
Bridget McKenzie
Minister for Regional Services, Sport, Local Government and Decentralisation
Contents
This instrument is the
Gene Technology Amendment (2019 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2019 .
(1) Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.
Sections 1 to 4 and anything in this instrument not elsewhere covered by this table | The day after this instrument is registered. | 9 April 2019 |
Schedule 1 | The day after the end of the period of 6 months beginning on the day this instrument is registered. | 8 October 2019 |
Schedule 2 | 1 July 2020. | 1 July 2020 |
Schedule 3 | The day after the end of the period of 18 months beginning on the day this instrument is registered. | 8 October 2020 |
Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.
(2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.
This instrument is made under the
Gene Technology Act 2000.
Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.
Repeal the definition, substitute:
characterised means:
(a) in relation to a nucleic acid—the nucleic acid has been sequenced and there is an understanding of potential gene products or potential functions of the nucleic acid; or
(b) in relation to a genetic modification—the gene or genomic region which is modified has been sequenced and there is an understanding of:
(i) potential gene products or potential functions of the gene or genomic region; and
(ii) the likely effect of the genetic modification on the gene products or functions.
Insert:
host/vector system has a meaning affected by subclause 2.1(3) of Schedule 2.
Repeal the definition, substitute:
non‑vector system has the meaning given in Part 3 of Schedule 2.
4
Regulation 3 (definition of toxin‑producing organism ) Omit “100 mg/kg”, substitute “100 micrograms per kilogram”.
Omit “• GM product”.
Omit “section 10”, substitute “subsection 10(1)”.
Insert:
For the purposes of paragraph (c) of the definition of
genetically modified organism in subsection 10(1) of the Act, an organism is a genetically modified organism if an item in Schedule 1B applies to the organism.
Repeal the regulation, substitute:
For the purposes of paragraph (e) of the definition of
genetically modified organism in subsection 10(1) of the Act, an organism is not a genetically modified organism if:
(a) one or more items in Schedule 1 applies to the organism; and
(b) the organism has not been modified by gene technology except for any modifications described in those items; and
(c) the organism has not inherited any traits from an organism (the
initial organism ), being traits that occurred in the initial organism because of gene technology, except as described in item 9 in Schedule 1; and(d) none of the items in Schedule 1B applies to the organism.
Repeal the paragraph, substitute:
(f) that part of the Department known as the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
Repeal the paragraph, substitute:
(a) it is a dealing of a kind mentioned in Part 1 or 2 of Schedule 3; and
(aa) it is not a dealing of a kind mentioned in Part 3 of Schedule 3; and
Repeal the paragraph, substitute:
(d) the dealing is only undertaken no later than the day 5 years after the date of the assessment; and
After “is mentioned in”, insert “, or is in a class of persons mentioned in,”.
Repeal the paragraph, substitute:
(f) subject to subregulation (3), the dealing is undertaken in facilities that:
(i) are mentioned in, or are in a class of facilities mentioned in, the Institutional Biosafety Committee’s record of assessment as being appropriate for the dealing; and
(ii) are facilities in which subregulation (2) permits the dealing to be undertaken; and
Omit “dealing; and”, substitute “dealing.”.
Repeal the paragraph.
Repeal the note.
Repeal the paragraph, substitute:
(b) for a kind of dealing mentioned in clause 2.1 of Schedule 3 (but not clause 2.2)—in a facility certified by the Regulator to at least physical containment level 2 and that is appropriate for the dealing; or
(ba) for a kind of dealing mentioned in clause 2.2 of Schedule 3—in a facility certified by the Regulator to at least physical containment level 3 and that is appropriate for the dealing; or
Repeal the subregulation, substitute:
(3) If a notifiable low risk dealing involves the transportation, storage or disposal of a GMO, the transportation, storage or disposal may happen outside a facility that complies with paragraph (1)(f) and subregulation (2), if it is conducted in accordance with:
(a) the
Guidelines for the Transport, Storage and Disposal of GMOs , as in force from time to time, that have been issued by the Regulator under paragraph 27(d) of the Act; or(b) transportation, storage or disposal requirements that the Regulator has agreed in writing are appropriate for the containment of the GMO.
Repeal the regulation.
Omit all the words after “section 27B of that Act”.
Omit “to whom paragraph 100(7A)(a) or (b) of the Act applies”, substitute “who is also a member of the Ethics and Community Committee”.
Repeal the paragraph, substitute:
(c) the reference in paragraph 26(1)(b) to the Ethics and Community Committee were a reference to the Gene Technology Technical Advisory Committee or the Australian Health Ethics Committee; and
Insert:
Former exempt dealings
(1) If:
(a) a person was undertaking a dealing before the amending day; and
(b) the dealing was an exempt dealing under the old Regulations; and
(c) the dealing is not (apart from this provision) an exempt dealing under the new Regulations;
then, despite the amendments, the dealing is an exempt dealing when undertaken by the person.
(2) Subregulation (1) applies until:
(a) the dealing is assessed, under the new Regulations, as a notifiable low risk dealing by an Institutional Biosafety Committee; or
(b) the person is issued a GMO licence for the dealing; or
(c) 1 year after the amending day if neither of the events in paragraphs (a) and (b) occurs before then.
Former notifiable low risk dealings
(3) If:
(a) a person was undertaking a dealing before the amending day; and
(b) the dealing was a notifiable low risk dealing under the old Regulations; and
(c) the dealing:
(i) is not (apart from this provision) a notifiable low risk dealing under the new Regulations; and
(ii) is not an exempt dealing;
then, despite the amendments, the dealing is a notifiable low risk dealing when undertaken by the person.
(4) Subregulation (3) applies until:
(a) the person is issued a GMO licence for the dealing; or
(b) 1 year after the amending day if the person is not issued a GMO licence before then.
Changed requirements for notifiable low risk dealings
(5) If a person was undertaking a notifiable low risk dealing before the amending day, the dealing is, for the purposes of section 37 of the Act, undertaken in accordance with the regulations if:
(a) it is undertaken in accordance with the old Regulations; or
(b) it is undertaken in accordance with the new Regulations.
(6) Subregulation (5) ceases to be in force 1 year after the amending day.
Definitions
(7) In this regulation:
amending day means the day that Schedule 1 to the amending Regulations commences.
amending Regulations means theGene Technology Amendment (2019 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2019 .
new Regulations means these Regulations as amended by the amending Regulations.
old Regulations means these Regulations as in force immediately before the amending day.
Add:
11 | Introduction of RNA into an organism, if:
|
Insert:
Note: See regulation 4A.
For the purposes of regulation 4A, an organism is a genetically modified organism if an item in the following table applies to the organism.
1 | An organism that has had its genome modified by oligonucleotide‑directed mutagenesis |
2 | An organism modified by repair of single‑strand or double‑strand breaks of genomic DNA induced by a site‑directed nuclease, if a nucleic acid template was added to guide homology‑directed repair |
Insert:
4 | An organism modified by repair of single‑strand or double‑strand breaks of genomic DNA induced by a site‑directed nuclease, if a nucleic acid template was not added to guide homology‑directed repair. |
Add:
8 | An organism that is descended from a genetically modified organism (the |
9 | An organism that has inherited particular traits from an organism (the
|
10 | An organism that was modified by gene technology but in which the modification, and any traits that occurred because of gene technology, are no longer present. |
11 | |
12 |
28
Part 1 of Schedule 2 (table item 4, column headed “Description of dealing”, subparagraph (2)(a)(ii)) Omit “harm;”, substitute “harm; and”.
29
Part 1 of Schedule 2 (table item 4, column headed “Description of dealing”, example) Omit “transmissibility; and”, substitute “transmissibility.”.
30
Part 1 of Schedule 2 (table item 4, column headed “Description of dealing”, paragraphs (2)(b) and (c)) Omit “100 mg/kg”, substitute “100 micrograms per kilogram”.
31
Part 1 of Schedule 2 (table item 4, column headed “Description of dealing”, paragraph (2)(e)) Repeal the paragraph, substitute:
(e) if the donor nucleic acid includes a viral sequence—cannot give rise to infectious agents when introduced into any potential host species, without additional non‑host genes or gene products that:
(i) are not available in the host cell into which the nucleic acid is introduced as part of the dealing; and
(ii) will not become available during the dealing; and
(f) if the donor nucleic acid includes a viral sequence—cannot restore replication competence to the vector.
32
Part 1 of Schedule 2 (table item 5, column headed “Description of dealing”) Omit “item 1 of”, substitute “items 1 to 6 of the table in”.
Repeal the Part, substitute:
(1) A reference to a host mentioned in this Part is a reference to a host mentioned in column 2 of an item of the table in this clause.
(2) A reference to a vector mentioned in this Part is a reference to a vector mentioned in column 3 of an item of the table in this clause.
(3) A reference to a
host/vector system mentioned in this Part is a reference to any of the following:
(a) a system involving a host mentioned in column 2 of an item of the table in this clause and a vector mentioned in column 3 of the same item;
(b) a non‑vector system involving a host mentioned in column 2 of an item of the table;
(c) a system involving a GMO mentioned as a vector in column 3 of an item of the table (except item 7), without a host.
Note: Column 1 of the table is included for information only.
1 | Bacteria |
| Any of the following:
|
2 | Bacteria |
| Any of the following:
|
3 | Bacteria | Non‑conjugative plasmids | |
4 | Bacteria | The following
(h) | Any of the following:
|
5 | Bacteria | Any of the following:
| Disarmed Ri or Ti plasmids |
6 | Bacteria | Any of the following:
| Non‑conjugative plasmids |
7 | Fungi | Any of the following:
| All vectors |
8 | Slime moulds | ||
9 | Tissue culture | Any of the following if they cannot spontaneously generate a whole animal:
| Any of the following:
|
10 | Tissue culture | Either of the following if they are not intended, and are not likely without human intervention, to vegetatively propagate, flower or regenerate into a whole plant:
| Any of the following:
(b) non‑pathogenic viral vectors |
Omit “13(3)(b)”, substitute “subregulation 13(3)”.
Repeal the paragraph, substitute:
(c) a dealing involving virions of a replication defective vector derived from
Human adenovirus or fromAdeno‑associated virus , either without a host or with a host mentioned in item 9 of Part 2 of Schedule 2, if the donor nucleic acid:
(i) cannot restore replication competence to the vector; and
(ii) does not confer an oncogenic modification or immunomodulatory effect in humans.
Omit “13(3)(b)”, substitute “subregulation 13(3)”.
Omit “host and vector not mentioned as a host/vector system”, substitute “host/vector system not mentioned”.
38
Subparagraphs 2.1(d)(ii) and (iii) of Schedule 3 Omit “donor nucleic acid”, substitute “genetic modification”.
Omit “Donor nucleic acid”, substitute “A genetic modification”.
Repeal the subparagraph, substitute:
(i) is characterised, and the characterisation shows that it may increase the capacity of the host or vector to cause harm; or
Omit “item 1 of”, substitute “items 1 to 6 of the table in”.
Omit “the introduction”, substitute “virions”.
Omit “into”, substitute “and”.
Repeal the paragraph, substitute:
(j) a dealing involving virions of a replication defective non‑retroviral vector able to transduce human cells, either without a host or with a host mentioned in Part 2 of Schedule 2, if:
(i) the donor nucleic acid cannot restore replication competence to the vector; and
(ii) the dealing is not a dealing mentioned in paragraph 1.1(c);
Omit “the introduction”, substitute “virions”.
Omit “into”, substitute “and”.
Repeal the subparagraph, substitute:
(ii) the donor nucleic acid does not confer an oncogenic modification or immunomodulatory effect in humans;
Omit all the words before subparagraph (i), substitute:
(l) a dealing involving virions of a replication defective retroviral vector able to transduce human cells, either without a host or with a host mentioned in Part 2 of Schedule 2, if:
Omit “into a virion”, substitute “new virions”.
Omit “the introduction”, substitute “virions”.
Omit “into a host”, substitute “and a host”.
Repeal the subparagraph, substitute:
(i) the donor nucleic acids does not confer an oncogenic modification or immunomodulatory effect in humans; and
Omit “into a virion”, substitute “new virions”.
Repeal the clause, substitute:
(1) A kind of dealing that:
(a) is a kind mentioned in clause 2.1; and
(b) involves a micro‑organism that satisfies the criteria in AS/NZS 2243.3:2010 for classification as Risk Group 3;
must be undertaken, unless paragraph 13(2)(c) or subregulation 13(3) applies, in facilities certified to at least physical containment level 3 and that are appropriate for the dealings.
(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b), a genetically modified micro‑organism is taken to satisfy the criteria in AS/NZS 2243.3:2010 for classification as Risk Group 3 if the unmodified parent micro‑organism satisfies those criteria.
(3) However, subclause (2) does not apply in relation to a replication defective retroviral vector that meets the criteria in paragraph 2.1(l) or (m).
Repeal the note, substitute:
Note 2: If a dealing is not a notifiable low risk dealing, or an exempt dealing, as provided by these Regulations, a person undertaking the dealing must be authorised by a GMO licence unless the dealing is within one of the other exceptions to licensing provided by the Act: see section 32 of the Act.
Before “A dealing”, insert “(1)”.
Omit “100 mg/kg”, substitute “100 micrograms per kilogram”.
Repeal the paragraph, substitute:
(d) a dealing involving virions of a replication defective viral vector and a host not mentioned in Part 2 of Schedule 2, if:
(i) the donor nucleic acid confers an oncogenic modification or immunomodulatory effect in humans; and
(ii) the dealing is not a dealing mentioned in paragraph 2.1(i);
Omit all the words after “if the”, substitute “genetic modification confers an oncogenic modification or immunomodulatory effect in humans;”.
Omit “donor nucleic acid”, substitute “genetic modification”.
61
Subparagraph 3.1(f)(ii) of Schedule 3 (example) Omit “Donor nucleic acid”, substitute “A genetic modification”.
Add:
; (q) a dealing involving a micro‑organism that satisfies the criteria in AS/NZS 2243.3:2010 for classification as Risk Group 3 and that is not undertaken:
(i) in a facility that is certified by the Regulator to at least physical containment level 3 and that is appropriate for the dealing; or
(ii) in a facility that the Regulator has agreed in writing is a facility in which the dealing may be undertaken;
(r) a dealing involving a GMO capable of sexual reproduction, the sexual progeny of which are, as a result of the genetic modification, more likely to inherit a particular nucleotide sequence or set of nucleotide sequences (when compared to inheritance from the unmodified parent organism);
(s) a dealing involving a viral vector that can modify an organism capable of sexual reproduction, so that the sexual progeny of the organism are more likely to inherit a particular nucleotide sequence or set of nucleotide sequences (when compared to inheritance from the unmodified parent organism).
Note: A modification that increases the likelihood of inheritance of a nucleotide sequence or sequences, as described in paragraphs (r) and (s), is generally known as an engineered gene drive.
(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(p), a genetically modified micro‑organism is taken to satisfy the criteria in AS/NZS 2243.3:2010 for classification as Risk Group 4 if the unmodified parent micro‑organism satisfies those criteria.
(3) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(q), a genetically modified micro‑organism is taken to satisfy the criteria in AS/NZS 2243.3:2010 for classification as Risk Group 3 if the unmodified parent micro‑organism satisfies those criteria.
(4) However, subclause (3) does not apply in relation to a replication defective retroviral vector that meets the criteria in paragraph 2.1(l) or (m).
Repeal the paragraph, substitute:
(b) the Institutional Biosafety Committee has assessed the dealing to be a kind of dealing mentioned in Part 1 or 2 of Schedule 3, and not mentioned in Part 3 of Schedule 3; and
Omit “proposing to undertake the dealing”, substitute “that submitted the proposal”.
Repeal the subparagraphs, substitute:
(iii) its assessment whether the dealing is a kind of dealing mentioned in Part 1 or 2 of Schedule 3, and not mentioned in Part 3 of Schedule 3;
(iv) if the Committee has assessed the dealing as being a kind of dealing mentioned in Part 1 or 2 of Schedule 3 (and not mentioned in Part 3 of Schedule 3)—which kind of dealing in those Parts that the dealing is;
After “dealing”, insert “, having regard to the requirements of subregulation 13(2)”.
Omit “the name of the person or accredited organisation”, substitute “the person or persons”.
Repeal the subregulations, substitute:
(1) A person or accredited organisation that has been given a copy of a record of assessment by an Institutional Biosafety Committee under paragraph 13B(b) must, if the dealing has been assessed by the Committee as a notifiable low risk dealing, give the Regulator a record of the dealing.
(2) A record of a dealing for the purposes of subregulation (1) must include:
(a) the particulars, prescribed under regulation 39 in relation to the dealing, to be included in the Record of GMO Dealings; and
(b) the name of the Committee that assessed the proposal relating to the dealing; and
(c) the name of the person or accredited organisation that submitted the proposal to the Committee for assessment.
(2A) The record must be given to the Regulator:
(a) in a form approved by the Regulator; and
(b) no later than 30 September in the financial year following the one in which the Institutional Biosafety Committee made the assessment.
(2B) An accredited organisation that is required, as a condition of accreditation, to give an annual report to the Regulator, must:
(a) include the record in the annual report for the year in which the Institutional Biosafety Committee made the assessment; or
(b) certify in the annual report that the record has previously been given to the Regulator.
After “Institutional Biosafety Committee”, insert “under paragraph 13B(b)”.
Repeal the regulation, substitute:
For the purposes of subsection 138(4) of the Act, the following particulars are prescribed in relation to a notifiable low risk dealing that is notified to the Regulator:
(a) the person or persons that proposed to undertake the dealing, as recorded by the Institutional Biosafety Committee that assessed the dealing as a notifiable low risk dealing;
(b) the kind of notifiable low risk dealing, in terms of Part 1 or 2 of Schedule 3;
(c) the identifying name given to the dealing by the person or accredited organisation that submitted the dealing to the Institutional Biosafety Committee for assessment;
(d) the date of assessment by the Institutional Biosafety Committee that the dealing is a notifiable low risk dealing.
Add:
(1) This regulation applies if:
(a) before 1 July 2020, an Institutional Biosafety Committee assessed a dealing as being a notifiable low risk dealing mentioned in Part 1 or 2 of Schedule 3; and
(b) the record of the Committee’s assessment does not indicate that the Committee assessed whether the dealing is of a kind mentioned in Part 3 of Schedule 3.
(2) The Committee is taken to have assessed the dealing as being a kind of dealing that is not mentioned in Part 3 of Schedule 3.
Regulation 13C as amended by Schedule 2 to the
Gene Technology Amendment (2019 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2019 applies in relation to a dealing that has been assessed by an Institutional Biosafety Committee as a notifiable low risk dealing on or after 1 July 2019.
Repeal the item.
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