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Commonwealth act
This Act creates the legal framework for regulating agricultural chemicals (like pesticides, herbicides and fungicides) and veterinary chemicals (medicines and treatments for animals) in Australia. It establishes a national system run by the APVMA (Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority) — the government body responsible for approving these products before they can be sold or used.
1. Requires approval before sale No agricultural or veterinary chemical product can legally be manufactured, imported or sold in Australia without being registered or approved by the APVMA. Active ingredients (the chemicals that do the work) must also be separately approved.
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Direct links to the current provisions in Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994.
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View on official registerSourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
2. Sets safety as the top priority Products must meet strict "safety criteria" — meaning they must not pose undue risk to people, animals, or the environment. This includes checking toxicity, residues in food, and environmental impact.
3. Controls labelling Labels must contain clear, adequate instructions about how to use the product safely — including withholding periods (how long before you can eat food treated with the chemical), re-entry periods (how long before it's safe to enter a treated area), and disposal instructions.
4. Creates a registration and approval process Companies must apply to the APVMA, undergo assessment, and meet criteria covering safety, efficacy (does it work?), trade (won't it harm Australia's export markets?) and labelling. There are streamlined pathways for lower-risk or previously assessed products.
5. Allows ongoing oversight The APVMA can reconsider, suspend or cancel approvals if new safety concerns emerge. It can also conduct inspections, take samples, and investigate compliance. Penalties apply for breaches.
6. Protects confidential business information Commercial secrets (like formulas) provided to the APVMA during applications are protected from disclosure.
7. Provides compensation rights If the government's actions under this law effectively take away someone's property (a legal concept called "acquisition of property"), the Commonwealth must pay fair compensation.
If you use agricultural or veterinary chemicals, this law is why the products on the shelf have been safety-tested. If you're in business manufacturing or supplying these products, you cannot legally operate without APVMA registration. If you're a farmer, the withholding and re-entry periods on labels are legally required safety measures that protect you, your workers, and your customers.