Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

GENE TECHNOLOGY ACT 2000 - SECT 100

  (1)   The Gene Technology Technical Advisory Committee is established.

  (2)   The Minister is to appoint up to 20 members of the Committee, and must appoint one of the members to chair the Committee.

  (3)   The members hold office on a part - time basis.

  (4)   Before appointing a member of the Committee, the Minister must consult the following:

  (a)   the States;

  (b)   the Regulator;

  (c)   such scientific, consumer, health, environmental and industry groups as the Minister considers appropriate;

  (d)   such other Ministers as the Minister considers appropriate.

  (5)   Subject to subsections   (6) and (7A), the Minister must not appoint a person as a member of the Committee unless the Minister is satisfied that the person has skills or experience in one or more of the following areas:

  (a)   molecular biology;

  (b)   ecology;

  (c)   plant, microbial, animal or human genetics;

  (d)   virology;

  (e)   entomology;

  (f)   agricultural or aquacultural systems;

  (g)   biosafety engineering;

  (h)   public health;

  (i)   occupational health and safety;

  (j)   risk assessment;

  (k)   clinical medicine;

  (l)   biochemistry;

  (m)   pharmacology;

  (n)   plant or animal pathology;

  (o)   botany;

  (p)   microbiology;

  (q)   animal biology;

  (r)   immunology;

  (s)   toxicology;

  (t)   an area specified by the regulations for the purposes of this paragraph.

  (6)   The Minister must appoint a layperson as a member of the Committee. The Minister is not required to be satisfied that the person has skills or experience in an area mentioned in subsection   (5).

  (7)   In appointing the members of the Committee, the Minister must ensure, as far as practicable, that among the members as a whole there is a broad range of skills and experience in the areas mentioned in subsection   (5).

  (7A)   The Minister must ensure that the Committee includes at least one person who is a member of the Ethics and Community Committee. The Minister is not required to be satisfied that this person has skills or experience in an area mentioned in subsection   (5).

  (8)   The Minister must not appoint a member to chair the Committee unless a majority of jurisdictions agree to the appointment.