Editors --- "Trans-Tasman Agreement on Therapeutic Goods" [2004] AdminRw 28; (2004) 56 Admin Review 76

• Trans-Tasman agreement on therapeutic goods

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Trans-Tasman agreement on therapeutic goods

On 10 December 2003 Australia and New Zealand signed a treaty to establish a single trans-Tasman agency regulating therapeutic goods. In Australia this will replace the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

Decisions of the new agency will be subject to both merits review and judicial review. The merits review process will include both internal review and an independent review tribunal. In Australia the Administrative Appeals Tribunal will act in this capacity. New Zealand is to set up its own body. In both countries there is to be a right to appeal tribunal decisions on a question of law, and tribunal and court decisions will have effect in the other country. Existing judicial review processes will be adapted to the scheme, again with decisions in one country having effect in the other.

Before the treaty was signed, the Administrative Review Council provided advice to the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the Department of Health and Ageing on the merits review aspects of the agreement.