Australia
March 3, 3015
Issue of licence DIR 130 to Murdoch University for a field trial of GM wheat
On 10 December 2014, the Gene Technology Regulator invited submissions on the consultation version of the Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan (RARMP) for licence application DIR 130 from Murdoch University.
The Regulator has issued a licence in respect of application DIR 130, authorising the limited and controlled release (field trial) of wheat lines that have been genetically modified (GM) for improved grain quality.
The release is authorised to take place between May 2015 and December 2017 at the New Genes for New Environments facility in Katanning, Western Australia. The trial site will be a maximum of 0.06 ha.
The primary purpose of the field trial is to assess whether the introduction and expression of the genes will increase the strength of dough. The GM wheat will not enter the human food or animal feed supply.
The decision to issue the licence was made after extensive consultation on the RARMP with the public, State and Territory governments, Australian Government agencies, the Minister for the Environment, the Gene Technology Technical Advisory Committee and relevant local councils, as required by the Gene Technology Act 2000 and the corresponding State and Territory legislation.
Issues relating to the health and safety of people and the protection of the environment raised during the consultation process were considered in the context of current scientific information in reaching the conclusions set out in the finalised RARMP and in making the decision to issue the licence.
The finalised RARMP concludes that this limited and controlled release poses negligible risks to people and the environment. Licence conditions have been imposed to restrict spread and persistence of the GMOs and their genetic material in the environment and to limit the release in size, location and duration, as these were important considerations in the evaluation process.
Appendix A of the RARMP summarises the advice received from prescribed experts, agencies and authorities, and indicates how issues raised relating to risks to human health and safety or the environment were considered in the document. Five submissions were received from the public on the consultation RARMP and the issues raised, and their consideration, are summarised in Appendix B of the RARMP.
A Summary and the 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 DIR 130 page of 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
E-mail: ogtr@health.gov.au
OGTR website (www.ogtr.gov.au)
DIR 130 - Notification of decision on genetically modified wheat field trial – posted 3 March 2015
DIR 130 Questions and Answers
DIR 130 Summary of Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan (RARMP)
DIR 130 Full Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan (RARMP)
DIR 130 – GM wheat field trial licence conditions
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