The public comment period on the draft SDN-1 Modified Organisms Regulations closed on 29 January 2021:
Draft Biosecurity (SDN-1 Modified Organisms) Regulations 2020 (140Kb)
SDN-1 Fact Sheet (326Kb)
Organisms modified using the gene editing technique known as SDN-1 are no longer regulated as genetically modified organisms (GMOs) under the National Gene Technology Scheme. This may create issues for businesses that export to markets where SDN-1 modified organisms continue to be considered GMOs.
To address any potential marketing concerns, the Tasmanian Government developed draft regulations to control the commercial release of SDN-1 modified organisms into the Tasmanian environment, consistent with the Tasmanian Gene Technology Policy 2019-2029.
The Draft Biosecurity (SDN-1 Modified Organism) Regulations 2020 sought to regulate the entry of SDN-1 modified organisms to Tasmania and any activities with organisms modified using SDN-1 techniques in order to maintain the status quo for businesses that rely on Tasmania’s GMO-free status and ensure that Tasmania continues to be able to confidently trade as GMO-free in markets that are sensitive to SDN-1 modified organisms.
Submissions received
The review received a total of 11 submissions. These submissions can be viewed at Submissions received in response to the Draft Biosecurity (SDN-1 Modified Organisms) Regulations 2020.
Current regulation of SDN-1 modified organisms
Currently, under the Tasmanian Biosecurity Act 2019, an individual permit is required to import known SDN-1 modified organisms into Tasmania.