Protection of the Great Barrier Reef against chemicals

Australia has rigorous controls on the use of agricultural and veterinary (agvet) chemicals to protect human health and the environment.

The starting point for managing these risks at the Commonwealth level is to control access to agvet chemicals through the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority’s (APVMA) assessment and registration of those chemicals.

The APVMA undertakes a rigorous assessment of the potential human health and environmental risks associated with chemicals and may also review existing registered chemicals. While a review is underway, the APVMA is required to assess any new data and to respond to emerging issues associated with the chemical under review. For further information on the APVMA’s chemical review program, please visit www.apvma.gov.au/products/review/a_z_reviews.php.

The controls put in place by the APVMA as a result of its assessment, registration and review processes are supported by regulatory activities conducted by the states and territories. For example, the Queensland Government, through the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan and the Great Barrier Reef Protection Amendment Act 2009, introduced new regulations to protect and improve the quality of water entering the reef. The Reef Protection Act requires users of pesticides and fertilisers to develop environmental risk management plans that are specific to their land holdings and farming practices.

The Commonwealth, state and territory governments have acknowledged the need to cut red tape and increase efficiencies in agvet chemical regulation. The Council of Australian Governments has asked the Primary Industries Ministerial Council to develop a single national framework to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of agvet chemical regulation. The views of all stakeholders will be taken into consideration in the process of developing and implementing this new national regulatory framework for agvet chemicals.