Biodiscovery Act 2004
Biodiscovery involves the collection of small amounts of native biological resources (e.g. plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms that are native to Australia) and subsequent screening to identify bioactive compounds that may be used for commercial purposes (e.g. pharmaceuticals and insecticides). In Queensland, biodiscovery activities are regulated under the Biodiscovery Act 2004.
This Act’s main purposes are to:
- ensure biodiscovery entities act appropriately when accessing or using traditional knowledge for biodiscovery;
- facilitate access by biodiscovery entities to minimal quantities of native biological material for biodiscovery on or in State land or Queensland waters;
- encourage the development of value-added biodiscovery within the State;
- ensure that the State, for the benefit of all Queenslanders, obtains a fair and equitable share of the benefits of biodiscovery;
- and ensure biodiscovery enhances knowledge of Queensland’s biological diversity, promoting the conservation and sustainable use of native biological resources.
Under the Act, individuals and organisations engaging in biodiscovery must:
- obtain a collection authority before accessing native biological material from State land or Queensland waters;
- negotiate and enter into a Benefit-Sharing Agreement with the State before commencing biodiscovery activities;
- when traditional knowledge is involved, take all reasonable and practical measures to ensure its use is governed by an agreement with the custodians of that knowledge, as introduced in the 2020 reforms;
- comply with the Traditional Knowledge Code of Practice and the Traditional Knowledge Guidelines.