This chronology summarises regulatory and administrative approaches employed by the federal government to control and monitor research and commercial applications of gene technology from its beginnings until early 2008. In 2008, it became legal for genetically modified canola varieties approved by the Commonwealth’s Office of the Gene Technology Regulator to be grown commercially in Victoria and New South Wales.

While not attempting to include a complete bibliography, this chronology does provide references to a selection of reports, journal and newspaper articles that describe the history of gene technology in Australia, the events that provided an impetus to the development of regulation and the dilemmas that are still faced.