Gene Technology (New South Wales) Act 2003 (NSW)

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This version has been updated.

An Act to apply the Gene Technology Act 2000 and the Gene Technology (Licence Charges) Act 2000 of the Commonwealth as a law of this State; and for other purposes.

Part 1Preliminary1Name of Act

This Act is the Gene Technology (New South Wales) Act 2003.

2Commencement

This Act commences on a day or days to be appointed by proclamation.

3Object of Act(1)

The object of this Act is to adopt in this State a uniform Australian approach to the regulation of genetically modified organisms.

(2)

For that purpose, this Act—

• (a)

  applies the Gene Technology Act 2000 and the Gene Technology (Licence Charges) Act 2000 of the Commonwealth as a law of this State, and

• (b)

  makes provision to help ensure that the Commonwealth Acts and the applied law of this State are administered on a uniform basis by the Commonwealth as if they constituted a single law of the Commonwealth.

4Definitions(1)

In this Act—

applied provisions means the Commonwealth gene technology laws that apply as a law of this State because of section 5.

Commonwealth administrative laws means the following Acts and regulations of the Commonwealth—

• (a)

  the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024, excluding Part 7,

• (b)

  the Freedom of Information Act 1982,

• (c)

  the Ombudsman Act 1976,

• (d)

  the Privacy Act 1988,

• (e)

  the regulations in force under any of those Acts.

Commonwealth Gene Technology Act means the Gene Technology Act 2000 of the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth gene technology laws means—

• (a)

  the Commonwealth Gene Technology Act, and

• (b)

  the Commonwealth Licence Charges Act, and

• (c)

  all regulations, guidelines, principles, standards and codes of practice in force under either of those Acts.

Commonwealth Licence Charges Act means the Gene Technology (Licence Charges) Act 2000 of the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth Regulator means the Gene Technology Regulator appointed under the Commonwealth Gene Technology Act.

function includes duty.

(2)

If an expression is defined in the Commonwealth Gene Technology Act and is also used in this Act, the expression as used in this Act has, unless the contrary intention appears, the same meaning as in that Act.

(3)

In this Act, a reference to a Commonwealth Act includes a reference to—

• (a)

  that Commonwealth Act, as amended and in force for the time being, and

• (b)

  an Act enacted in substitution for that Act and, if it is amended, as amended and in force for the time being.

s 4: Am 2007 No 86, Sch 2 [1] [2]; 2025 No 38, Sch 1.8[1].

Part 2The applied provisions5Application of Commonwealth gene technology laws to this State(1)

The Commonwealth gene technology laws, as in force for the time being, apply as a law of this State.

(2)

Those Commonwealth gene technology laws so apply as if they extended to matters in relation to which this State may make laws—

• (a)

  whether or not the Commonwealth may make laws in relation to those matters, and

• (b)

  even though the Commonwealth gene technology laws provide that they apply only to specified matters with respect to which the Commonwealth may make laws.

s 5: Am 2007 No 86, Sch 2 [3].

6

(Repealed)

s 6: Rep 2007 No 86, Sch 2 [4].

7Interpretation of Commonwealth gene technology laws(1)

The Acts Interpretation Act 1901 of the Commonwealth applies as a law of this State in relation to the interpretation of the applied provisions. That Act so applies as if the applied provisions were a Commonwealth Act or were regulations or other instruments under a Commonwealth Act, as the case requires.

(2)

The Interpretation Act 1987 of New South Wales does not apply to the applied provisions.

Part 3Functions and powers under applied provisions8Functions and powers of Commonwealth Regulator and other authorities and officers

The Commonwealth Regulator and other authorities and officers referred to in the applied provisions have the same functions and powers under the applied provisions as they have under the Commonwealth gene technology laws, as those laws apply to the Commonwealth.

9Delegations by the Commonwealth Regulator

Any delegation by the Commonwealth Regulator under the Commonwealth Gene Technology Act is taken to extend to, and have effect for the purposes of, the corresponding provision of the applied provisions.

Part 4Offences10Object of this Part(1)

The object of this Part is to further the object of this Act by providing for an offence against the applied provisions to be treated as if it were an offence against a law of the Commonwealth.

(2)

The purposes for which an offence is to be treated as mentioned in subsection (1) include, for example (but are not limited to)—

• (a)

  the investigation and prosecution of offences, and

• (b)

  the arrest, custody, bail, trial and conviction of offenders or persons charged with offences, and

• (c)

  proceedings relating to a matter referred to in paragraph (a) or (b), and

• (d)

  appeals and reviews relating to criminal proceedings and to proceedings of the kind referred to in paragraph (c), and

• (e)

  the sentencing, punishment and release of persons convicted of offences, and

• (f)

  fines, penalties and forfeitures, and

• (g)

  liability to make reparation in connection with offences, and

• (h)

  proceeds of crime, and

• (i)

  spent convictions.

11Application of Commonwealth criminal laws to offences against applied provisions(1)

The relevant Commonwealth laws apply as laws of this State in relation to an offence against the applied provisions as if those provisions were a law of the Commonwealth and not a law of this State.

(2)

For the purposes of a law of this State, an offence against the applied provisions—

• (a)

  is taken to be an offence against the laws of the Commonwealth, in the same way as if those provisions were a law of the Commonwealth, and

• (b)

  is taken not to be an offence against the laws of this State.

(3)

Subsection (2) has effect for the purposes of a law of this State except as provided by the regulations under this Act.

12Functions and powers conferred on Commonwealth officers and authorities relating to offences(1)

A Commonwealth law applying because of section 11 that confers on a Commonwealth officer or authority a function or power in relation to an offence against the Commonwealth gene technology laws also confers on the officer or authority the same function or power in relation to an offence against the corresponding provision of the applied provisions.

(2)

In performing a function or exercising a power conferred by this section, the Commonwealth officer or authority must act as nearly as practicable as the officer or authority would act in performing or exercising the same function or power in relation to an offence against the corresponding provision of the Commonwealth gene technology laws.

13No double jeopardy for offences against applied provisions

If—

• (a)

  an act or omission is an offence against both the applied provisions and an offence against the Commonwealth gene technology laws, and

• (b)

  the offender has been punished for that offence under those Commonwealth laws,

the offender is not liable to be punished for the offence under the applied provisions.

Part 5Administrative laws14Application of Commonwealth administrative laws to applied provisions(1)

The Commonwealth administrative laws apply as laws of this State to any matter arising in relation to the applied provisions as if those provisions were a law of the Commonwealth and not a law of this State.

(2)

For the purposes of a law of this State, a matter arising in relation to the applied provisions—

• (a)

  is taken to be a matter arising in relation to laws of the Commonwealth in the same way as if those provisions were a law of the Commonwealth, and

• (b)

  is taken not to be a matter arising in relation to laws of this State.

(3)

Subsection (2) has effect for the purposes of a law of this State except as provided by the regulations under this Act.

(4)

Any provision of a Commonwealth administrative law applying because of this section that purports to confer jurisdiction on a federal court is taken not to have that effect.

(5)

For this section, a reference in a provision of the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024 of the Commonwealth, as the provision applies as a law of this jurisdiction, to the whole or a part of that Act, Part 7 is taken to be a reference to the whole or a part of that Act, Part 7 as it has effect as a law of the Commonwealth.

s 14: Am 2025 No 38, Sch 1.8[2].

15Functions and powers conferred on Commonwealth officers and authorities(1)

A Commonwealth administrative law applying because of section 14 that confers on a Commonwealth officer or authority a function or power also confers on the officer or authority the same function or power in relation to a matter arising in relation to the applied provisions.

(2)

In performing a function or exercising a power conferred by this section, the Commonwealth officer or authority must act as nearly as practicable as the officer or authority would act in performing or exercising the same function or power under the Commonwealth administrative law.

Part 6Miscellaneous16Act to bind Crown

This Act binds the Crown in right of New South Wales and, in so far as the legislative power of Parliament permits, the Crown in all its other capacities.

17Things done for multiple purposes

The validity of a licence, certificate or other thing issued, given or done for the purposes of the applied provisions is not affected only because it was issued, given or done also for the purposes of the Commonwealth gene technology laws.

18Reference in Commonwealth law to a provision of another law

For the purposes of sections 11 and 14, a reference in a Commonwealth law to a provision of that or another Commonwealth law is taken to be a reference to that provision as applying because of that section.

19Fees and other money

All fees, penalties, fines and other money that, under this Act and the applied provisions, are authorised or directed to be payable by or imposed on any person (but not including an amount ordered to be refunded to another person) must be paid to the Commonwealth.

20Regulations

The Governor may make regulations, not inconsistent with this Act, for or with respect to any matter that by this Act is required or permitted to be prescribed or that is necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act.

21

(Repealed)

s 21: Rep 2011 No 62, Sch 5.

Historical notes

See also Gene Technology (GM Crop Moratorium) Act 2003.

Table of amending instruments

Gene Technology (New South Wales) Act 2003 No 11. Second reading speech made: Legislative Council, 21.5.2003; Legislative Assembly, 30.5.2003. Assented to 25.6.2003. Date of commencement, 11.7.2003, sec 2 and GG No 111 of 11.7.2003, p 7020. This Act has been amended as follows—

2007	No 86	Gene Technology (GM Crop Moratorium) Amendment Act 2007. Assented to 7.12.2007. Date of commencement of Sch 2, 11.1.2008, sec 2 (1) and GG No 4 of 11.1.2008, p 27.
2011	No 62	Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (No 2) 2011. Assented to 16.11.2011. Date of commencement of Sch 5, 6.1.2012, sec 2 (1).
2025	No 38	Statute Law Amendment (Administrative Appeals Tribunal) Act 2025. Assented to 3.7.2025. Date of commencement, assent, sec 2.

Table of amendments

Sec 4	Am 2007 No 86, Sch 2 [1] [2]; 2025 No 38, Sch 1.8[1].
Sec 5	Am 2007 No 86, Sch 2 [3].
Sec 6	Rep 2007 No 86, Sch 2 [4].
Sec 14	Am 2025 No 38, Sch 1.8[2].
Sec 21	Rep 2011 No 62, Sch 5.