The Animal Research Act 1985 requires that every person undertaking animal research must be the holder of an Animal Research Authority. It is an offence under the Act to carry out research without such an authority.

Animal Research Authorities are issued for specific projects at the time of project approval by a Animal Ethics Committee. The authorities can only be issued for a 12 month period, and will need to be renewed annually during the life of any approved project that runs for more than 12 months.

The authorities are issued by either an accredited research establishment or by the Director-General of NSW Agriculture (in the case of independent researchers supervised by the Director-General’s Animal Care and Ethics Committee (DG’s ACEC)). The authorities can only be issued on the recommendation of an Animal Ethics Committee.

The Animal Research Authority must contain the following information :

• the location of the land on which the research is to be carried out
• a description of both the type of animal research and the approved research project
• the AEC which approved the project
• any conditions on the Authority
• the identification of the person who issued the Authority
• the identification of the person to whom the Authority was issued
• the date on which the Authority was issued

The authority must be "in or to the effect of" the approved form. Form C is available from the Animal Welfare Unit.

Applications for Animal Research Authorities

An application is usually made by the principal investigator on behalf of all persons involved in research on a project by lodging a completed application form with the Animal Ethics Committee (AEC). An application form, available from AECs, includes requests for the following information:

• information required by Clause 2.2.11 of the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of animals for scientific purposes
• information about any application made to another AEC for a similar project (including information about any refusal of such an application)
• identification of the location at which the research is to be conducted
• information about the cancellation of any Animal Research Authority or Animal Suppliers Licence held by the applicant

Accredited research establishments and the Director-General of NSW Agriculture have the right to refuse to issue an Animal Research Authority.

Authorities issued by accredited research establishments may be cancelled at any time by the establishment.

Fees for Animal Research Authority

Accredited Research Establishments may charge a maximum fee of $100 per application from an independent researcher for an Animal Research Authority.

The Director-General’s ACEC charges $100 per application for an Animal Research Authority up to a maximum of $300 per calendar year. Subsequent applications made in the same year will not carry a fee.

Complaints about Animal Research Authority Holders

The Act contains a comprehensive formal complaints mechanism to deal with complaints made to the Director-General of NSW Agriculture about holders of Animal Research Authorities. Complaints can be laid against an authority holder if research is carried out:

• in contravention of the authority
• in contravention of the approval or directions of the AEC
• in contravention of the Code of Practice
• with animals that have not been obtained from a licensed animal supplier (apart from exempt animals)
• by a person who is disqualified under the Act

The Director-General refers all complaints to the Animal Research Review Panel (ARRP) for investigation. Following this investigation, the Director-General may either dismiss the complaint, caution the authority holder or suspend or cancel the authority.

Cancellation of an Animal Research Authority by the Director-General disqualifies an individual for 12 months from receiving another Authority.

Record Keeping Requirements

Accredited Research Establishments are required under the Act to keep records for 7 years of all Animal Research Authorities granted to independent researchers, and provide these records to the Director-General of NSW Agriculture on an annual basis. The details to be recorded as listed in Clause 16D of the Animal Research Regulation are:

• the applicant’s name, postal address, contact telephone and facsimile numbers (if any)
• the location of any premises used for holding of animals for use in the research
• the types of animals held
• the name and identifying number of the research protocol concerned
• the species of animals used by the applicant for research
• the type of research being conducted by the applicant
• whether the research was approved, approved subject to conditions or not approved by the ethics committee of the accredited research establishment.
  

Independent Animal Research Authority holders who are overseen by the Director-General’s AEC are required to submit annual returns on animal use to the Director-General.