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Application for a grower or researcher licence to engage in commercial production of industrial hemp in Queensland

This application is for persons or corporations seeking a grower licence or researcher licence to grow industrial hemp or carry out research to develop new varieties of industrial hemp in Queensland.  Two forms are required - The Application Form and a Supplement to the Licence Application Form.

Please read the information below - regarding privacy, eligibility, suitability, application requirements, and fees and charges - before completing the application form  (PDF, 66 kB) and the supplement to the licence application form (PDF, 69 kB)

Note:  DPI&F requires at least one month to consider the application because of the detailed assessment required.  If at all possible you should send your application to Biosecurity Queensland at least two months before intended planting start time to allow for sudden unexpected pest and animal disease incursions which can take key staff away from their regular work roles to assist with the emergency response.   It is illegal to grow industrial cannabis without a licence.

This application should be read in conjunction with the Drugs Misuse Act 1986 (the Act), the Drugs Misuse Regulation 1987 (the Regulation) and Guidelines for engaging in the commercial production of industrial cannabis in Queensland .

The Act and Regulation may be obtained electronically at the website of the Office of Queensland Parliamentary Counsel or  printed versions may be purchased from the Queensland Government Bookshop, Ground Floor, Mineral House, 41 George Street, Brisbane, Qld 4000 (telephone 07 3118 6900 within Brisbane or 1800 679 778, outside Brisbane) www.publications.qld.gov.au .

The Guidelines may be downloaded or a copy may be obtained by contacting the DPI&F Business Information Centre.

Privacy statement

• to administer its responsibilities under the DM Act for the purposes of commercial production of industrial hemp;
• as part of its compliance and monitoring activities of industrial hemp production; and
• for other related purposes and DPI&F general purposes such as general information dissemination purposes.

The collection of information is authorised by the Act and Regulation.  DPI&F will provide relevant information to the Queensland Police Service for the purpose of investigating any criminal history of applicants. DPI&F advises that your information may be routinely disclosed to law enforcement agencies such as the Queensland Police Service . Unless otherwise identified in this notice, your personal information will not be released to a third party unless it is required or authorised by law. 

If you plan to grow or engage in research and/ or plant breeding programs of industrial cannabis, you must apply for a licence from the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F). Without a licence, you will be liable to severe penalties under the Act if you engage in activities involving industrial cannabis.  Your application for a licence must be made using the application form and the accomapnying supplement to licence application form.

To be eligible to apply for a grower licence, the applicant, (if a corporation, the executive officers), must:

• not have been convicted of a serious offence* within the previous 10 years anywhere in Australia, whether or not the conviction was recorded; and
• not be affected by bankruptcy action.

To be eligible to apply for a researcher (category 1 or 2) licence, the applicant, (if a corporation, its executive officers), must:

• not have been convicted of a serious offence* within the previous 10 years anywhere in Australia, whether or not the conviction was recorded; and
• have the necessary educational or other qualifications and experience to engage in plant breeding or other research.  If the applicant is a corporation, at least one person employed by the corporation to carry out plant breeding under the licence who has the necessary educational or other qualification and experience meets this criterion.  In addition, if the applicant is a corporation its executive officers must not be affected by bankruptcy action.

Matters which DPI&F will take into consideration to determine an applicant's suitability for a licence will include, but not be limited to:

• whether the applicant, the applicant's close associates*, or, if the applicant is a corporation, its executive officers are of good repute, having regard to character, honesty and integrity.
• the criminal history, if any, of individual applicants, close associates of applicants or executive officers of corporate applicants.
• whether the applicant is capable of satisfactorily performing the activities of a licensee.

Note: Close associates of applicants and each executive officer of a corporation will need to indicate on this form that they are aware that they will be the subject of a criminal history search by the Queensland Police Service.

* See the Guidelines and section 46 of the DM Act for the definitions of 'close associate' and 'serious offence'.

To assess whether the applicant, the applicant's close associates*, or, if the applicant is a corporation, its executive officers and if applicable its close associates are of good repute, having regard to character, honesty and integrity the DPI&F conducts interviews with nominated referees listed on the supplement to the licence application form completed by each of these persons.  Referees canot be related to the relevant persons by either birth or marraige or other partnership, must be at least 18 years of age and must have known the relevant person for at least 3 years.

To proceed:

• read the DPI&FGuidelines for engaging in the commercial production of industrial hemp in Queensland and be clear about the type of licence for which you are applying
• complete the application form and supplement to licence application form using a blue or black biro and writing in BLOCK letters. If there is insufficient space on the form, attach additional SIGNED AND DATED pages.
• an individual applicant (or the chief executive officer if the applicant is a corporation) should obtain two recent passport-size colour photographs (see note below on 'Requirements for passport-size photographs') and include these with the application form.
• each individual applicant (or each executive officer if the applicant is a corporation) must consent to having their fingerprints taken, if required by the Commissioner of Police (see note below on 'Fingerprinting').
• if the applicant, or, if a corporation, the executive officers has/have been convicted of a serious offence outside of Queensland in the past 10 years that has been quashed, set aside or pardoned, they will need to request from the relevant Freedom of Information office or Police Department official documentation that supports this fact and include this documentation with their application.
• each individual applicant, each close associate and if the application is being made by a corporation, each executive officer and close associates shall each be required to complete a supplement to licence application form and nominate three referees who can vouch for their good repute having regard to their character, honesty and integrity.  
• All referees will need to complete their section of the supplement to licence application form.  

Requirements for passport-size photographs

The applicant (or the Chief Executive Officer if the applicant is a corporation) must provide two identical colour passport-size photographs of himself or herself. The photos must be recent (not more than 6 months old), of good quality colour, be sharply focussed, and show the full front view of the head and shoulders with a plain light-coloured background. The eyes need to be wide open, and if glasses are worn, the eyes should be clearly visible. The back of one photograph needs to be signed by an Identifier who endorses that the photograph is a true photograph of the applicant or the chief executive officer of the corporation as the case may be. The Identifier must also complete a declaration in either Section 15 of the application form (for individual person applicants) or section 16 (for corporation applicants). For photographs taken with digital cameras, the paper used must be good quality, skin tones must be natural, and the contrast and resolution must not be grainy. Photographs which do not comply with these requirements will not be accepted.

Note:  It is strongly suggested that the two photographs be placed in a small envelope marked " photographs" and this envelope stapled to the application form in a way that ensures that the photographs themselves do not have the staple through them.  This will ensure that the small photographs do not get lost when the envelope is opened by mail sorting staff in DPI&F. Photographs with staple marks will not be accepted.

Fingerprinting

Applicants (if the applicant is a corporation, its executive officers) must consent to having their fingerprints taken by a police officer in the event that fingerprints are required by the Commissioner of Police, for the purpose of searching the national fingerprint database. Should fingerprinting be necessary, the applicant must meet the cost of this process.

Fees and charges (inclusive of GST) (as at Nov 2008)

An application fee of $350:00 per licence.

• An additional charge of $23.10 per applicant, for each close associate and if a corporation, for each executive officer for a national criminal history check.  

You will need to attach to the application form a cheque, money order or credit card payment made payable to the 'Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries' for the appropriate amount. Please complete the 'Payment details' form which is located at the end of this application form.

Monies received for fees and charges are non-refundable.

Why we require the information requested on this application form

The information which you provide will be used to assist the DPI&F in making a preliminary assessment of your eligibility for the issue of a licence to grow or research industrial cannabis under Part 5B of the Drugs Misuse Act 1986.    DPI&F may request other information from you to assist in making a decision about either your eligibility or suitability to hold a licence.

What you need to send:

• a completed application form  (PDF, 81 kB)
• a completed supplement to the licence application form  (PDF, 69 kB),completed by the licence applicant, each close associate and if a corporation each executive officer and close associate, if applicable.  Please ensure that each referee has completed their section of these forms.
• two recent (less than 6 months old) colour passport photographs of the applicant (or the Chief Executive Officer if the applicant is a corporation), one signed and endorsed on the back by a suitable 'Identifier' who is to complete section 15 on page 9 or section 16 on page 10 of the application form as the case may be.
• any criminal history records from interstate that clearly show any convictions in the last 10 years of the applicant (if a corporation, its executive officers).
• documentation showing that any serious offences committed by the applicant, or, if a corporation, the executive officers outside of Queensland in the past 10 years have been quashed, set aside or pardoned
• the application fee and criminal history check fee(s) as a cheque, money order or credit card payment made payable to the 'Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries' for the appropriate amount. Please complete the 'Payment details' form, at the end of this form.

Please  forward these items to:

Industrial Hemp Regulatory Officer - DPI&F Biosecurity

Mailing address: 
GPO Box 46, 
BRISBANE  QLD  4001

For hand delivery:  
Level 3, Primary Industries Building, 
80 Ann Street,
Brisbane CBD, QLD

What will happen next?

The Director-General of DPI&F or appointed delegated officer will consider your application, and assess your suitability and eligibility to be granted a licence. You will be advised in writing of the outcome of your application. Successful applicants will be sent their licence, which will be valid for no more than 3 years from the date of issue. Conditions are attached to the issuing of a licence in accordance with section 64 of the Act and section 29 and schedule 8 of the Regulation.   The Director-General of DPI&F has power to attach additional conditions to those listed in the Act and Regulation.  An industrial hemp inspector will be assigned to your area and will monitor licence holders for compliance with licence authorisations and licence conditions.

The Director-General of DPI&F or appointed delegated officer may at their discretion require further information over and above what you have provided in the application form and associated documents to fully assess your application, before making a decision whether or not to grant you a licence.

If your application is refused the Director-General is required to provide you withan information notice setting out the deicision and the reasons for the decision.

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Last updated 17 December 2007