The government is now operating in accordance with the Guidance on Caretaker Conventions, pending the outcome of the 2025 federal election.
The Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 provides for the establishment and maintenance of a national system of controls for the quality, safety, efficacy and timely availability of therapeutic goods that are used, or exported from, Australia.
The Therapeutic Goods Order No. 93 (Standard for Medicinal Cannabis) is made under subsection 10(1) of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989, following consultation with the former Therapeutic Goods Committee. The purpose of the Order is to establish a ministerial standard for medicinal cannabis products. The Order is necessary in the absence of any international quality standard applying to medicinal cannabis products at the time of making the Order.
The Order applies to both domestic and international manufacturers to ensure that all medicinal cannabis products meet the quality standard, whether or not those products are imported or manufactured domestically. The Order is intended to provide assurance to medical practitioners and patients that medicinal cannabis products manufactured in accordance with the Order meet minimum quality requirements.