Research Ethics Legislation & Resources

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act) is the Australian Government's central piece of environmental legislation. It provides a legal framework to protect and manage nationally and internationally important flora, fauna, ecological communities and heritage places, defined in the Act, as matters of national environmental significance:

• Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

To access biological resources in most Commonwealth areas you need to apply for a permit. There are also Regulations to facilitate access to, and regulate the use of, native genetic and biochemical resources. For information on access to biological resources in Commonwealth areas, refer to Part 8A of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000:

• Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000

The National Security Science and Technology Centre (NSSTC) within the Department of Defence provides a national focus for research and development aimed at enhancing Australia's national security capabilities, facilitating international collaboration and supplying scientific and technological input into national security policy issues and initiatives.

The NSSTC site includes information about regulatory requirements related to research activities.

• National Security Science & Technology Centre

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) is an Australian government authority responsible for the assessment and registration of pesticides and veterinary medicines and for their regulation up to and including the point of retail sale.

Before an agricultural or veterinary chemical product can be legally imported, supplied, sold or used in Australia, it must be registered by the APVMA. Agricultural chemicals include herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and some pest traps and barriers for pest control. Veterinary chemicals include vaccines, antibiotics, anthelmintics, and ectoparasiticides, and some vitamins and minerals.

The APVMA has a permits scheme that allows for the legal use of chemicals in ways that are different to the uses set out on the product label or, in certain circumstances, the limited use of an unregistered chemical. Some research activities may require a permit — to allow for chemical products to be used in research trials for scientific purposes, such as determining the suitability of a product for a new use or generating the data necessary to register the product.

• Australian Pesticides & Veterinary Medicines Authority

The Science portal provides links to Australian Government science policy and initiatives, by discipline, purpose and agency.

Providing numerous links to government policy, priorities, research reports, reviews and some ethics and compliance information.

• Science portal

The objective of the State's biosecurity programs is to identify, assess and respond to all pests, diseases and weeds posing a significant threat to primary industries, native biodiversity and human health.

PIRSA's Biosecurity site has links relevant to policy advice and regulatory activities for:

• Biosecurity - Fruit Fly, plant health, rural chemicals, weeds and pest animals, animal health, food safety, aquatices
• Livestock industries and animal health
• Horticulture industries, crops, pastures and plant health
• Forestry industries
• Fishing industry
• Aquaculture industry
• Other pests, diseases and programs
• Primary industries
• Emergency management

PIRSA - biosecurity

• Radiation safety management
• Health, safety & wellbeing