Trema micratha
669. Hon Dr Brian Walker to the Minister for Agriculture and Food:
I refer the minister to recent publicity around the Trema micratha plant, a Brazilian shrub of which scientists at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro are now confident produces cannabidiol without tetrahydrocannabinol.
(1) Can the minister confirm that Trema micratha is currently a permitted section 11 plant under the WA Organism List, with no control category currently assigned?
(2) Given that permitted organisms must satisfy any applicable import requirements when imported, what requirements apply to this shrub should a potential grower wish to import it into WA?
(3) Noting the Brazilian research to date, does the government have any plans to alter the status of Trema micratha?
(4) Given that the Brazilian government has made research funding available to allow its scientists to engage in further research on the plant's properties, are there any similar funds for which interested scientists or growers might apply locally, in the interests of keeping WA farmers and researchers at the cutting edge of CBD research and, if so, who should be approached within government in the first instance?
The President: I will comment on the length of that question, honourable member, and hope that it does not happen again, lest your question be excluded.
Hon Jackie Jarvis replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) Yes, noting that the status of an organism under the Biosecurity and Agricultural Management Act 2007 is based on biosecurity risk.
(2) The importation of this plant into Australia is subject to Commonwealth biosecurity import legislation. Importation of permitted organisms into Western Australia is subject to import regulations.
(3) The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has no plans to alter the plant's WA Organism List status.
(4) The Future Health Research and Innovation Fund, administered by the Office of Medical Research and Innovation within the Department of Health is the primary mechanism for state-funded medical research.
