How the public can make submissions to the Regulator

January 2014


We value your comments the opportunity to respond to community concerns. If you are a member of the public or a community organisation, the Gene Technology Regulator (the Regulator) invites you to be involved in the process to assess releases of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the environment.

How to get involved

When the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) receives an application to release a GMO into the environment, we:

• publish a notification on the OGTR website
• notify people/organisations who have subscribed to receive OGTR news (see below for how to subscribe for free).

The Regulator rigorously assesses each application for risk to human health and safety and the environment—this involves writing a risk assessment and risk management plan (RARMP).

We let you know when the draft RARMP is ready for your comment, by advertising through:

• the Government Notices Gazette
• The Australian newspaper
• relevant regional press
• the OGTR website.

RARMPs are open to comments for a minimum of 30 days. Experts, stakeholders and any member of the community can provide their comments. All of these comments are taken into consideration before the Regulator makes a decision about the release of a GMO into the environment.

We are committed to making applications and RARMPs available to anyone who wants to see them. You can access them, plus summary information prepared by the OGTR, by:

• going online to the OGTR website
• calling us for free on 1800 181 030 to request that we send you the information
• making an appointment to come to our office.

Subscribe to receive OGTR News

Subscribing to receive news from the OGTR is free, and anyone may join. We will send you information by email or documents in the mail.

Information received by subscribing to news from the OGTR includes:

• notification about applications to the OGTR to release a GMO into the environment
• invitation to comment on the consultation RARMP which is developed for each application to release a GMO into the environment
• notification about the OGTR issuing a licence to release a GMO into the environment
• notification of significant changes made to gene technology legislation.

Subscribe to receive OGTR news by filling out the Subscribe to OGTR News form.

This can be submitted from the website or printed and send it by:

• fax: 02 6271 4202
• mail: MDP 54, GPO Box 9848 Canberra ACT 2601.Top of page

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