Australia
November 11, 2009

DIR 096 - Notification of decision to issues a licence on application - posted 11 November 2009

NOTIFICATION OF DECISION

ISSUE OF LICENCE DIR 096 TO BSES FOR A LIMITED AND CONTROLLED RELEASE OF GM SUGARCANE

The Gene Technology Regulator has made a decision to issue a licence in respect of application DIR 096 from BSES Limited (BSES). The applicant has received approval for the limited and controlled release of up to 6,000 sugarcane lines genetically modified for herbicide tolerance. The release is expected to take place at six BSES stations in the Queensland shires of Moreton Bay, Bundaberg, Mackay, Burdekin and Cairns on a maximum total area of 26 ha between November 2009 and November 2015. None of the GM sugarcane plants will be permitted to be used as human food or animal feed.

The decision to issue the licence was made after extensive consultation on the Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan (RARMP) with the public, State and Territory governments, Australian Government agencies, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts and the Gene Technology Technical Advisory Committee and relevant local councils, as required by the Gene Technology Act 2000 and corresponding State and Territory laws.

Issues relating to the health and safety of people and the protection of the environment raised during the consultation process on this application were considered in finalising the RARMP and in making the decision to issue the licence.

The Executive Summary, Technical Summary and complete finalised RARMP, together with a set of Questions and Answers on this decision and a copy of the licence, can be obtained on-line from the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator’s website or requested via the contacts detailed below.

Office of the Gene Technology Regulator MDP 54 GPO Box 9848 CANBERRA ACT 2601 Telephone: 1800 181 030, Facsimile: 02 6271 4202 http://www.ogtr.gov.au

DIR 096 - Questions and Answers

DIR 096 - Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan (RARMP) Executive Summary

DIR 096 - Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan (RARMP) Technical Summary

DIR 096 - Full Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan (RARMP) for limited and controlled release of sugarcane genetically modified for herbicide tolerance

DIR 096 - Licence application summary

DIR 096 - GM Sugarcane Licence Conditions

Reference Material

Risk Analysis Framework for Licence Applications to the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator 2007

The Biology of the Saccharum spp. (Sugarcane) (2008 version)

Website: http://www.ogtr.gov.au

Published: November 11, 2009