The function of the Ethics and Community Committee is to provide advice, on the request of the Regulator or the Ministerial Council, on the following:
(a) ethical issues relating to gene technology;
(b) the need for, and content of, codes of practice in relation to ethics in respect of conducting dealings with GMOs;
(c) the need for, and content of, policy principles in relation to dealings with GMOs that should not be conducted for ethical reasons;
(d) the need for policy principles, policy guidelines, codes of practice and technical and procedural guidelines in relation to GMOs and GM products and the content of such principles, guidelines and codes;
(e) community consultation in respect of the process for applications for licences covering dealings that involve the intentional release of a GMO into the environment;
(f) risk communication matters in relation to dealings that involve the intentional release of a GMO into the environment;
(g) matters of general concern identified by the Regulator in relation to applications made under this Act;
(h) matters of general concern in relation to GMOs.