The Australian Government has updated the Defence Strategic Goods List and it’s important to find out whether your research is impacted by these changes.

The Defence Trade Controls Act 2012 (DTCA) regulates the intangible supply, publication and brokering of goods and technology as listed in the Defence and Strategic Goods List (DSGL). The purpose of the DTCA is to protect the nation’s safety by stopping sensitive goods and technology from falling into the wrong hands.

The Defence Strategic Goods List has been updated by the Australian Government, with a total of 209 amendments in this latest update. The list contains research areas you might not have thought about. For example, technology required for telecommunications in satellites is included on the list.

If you think your research might be on the updated list, you can access the Defence Strategic Goods List via the Department of Defence and undertake a self-assessment.

The Defence Trade Controls Act was revised in 2016 introducing penalties to individuals that supplied or brokered items on the Defence Strategic Good List, so it’s worth taking the time to check if your research is included. Macquarie University supports its staff in complying with this legislation.

If your research is on the list, or you require any other support on Defence Trade Controls, you can contact defencetradecontrols@mq.edu.au or access Macquarie’s online resources, which include an online learning module.