Table 1.

Ranking of types of information and their relative values as evidence (OGTR 2009) (GMO refers to the genetically engineered organism)

	Reliability	Appropriateness
	Validated studies conducted according to international protocols meeting defined standards Peer reviewed literature—strongly supported reports, models, theories Peer reviewed literature—single report, model, theory General biological principles Opinion of an expert familiar with the GMO, parent organism, modified traits, ecology Other technical reports, specialist literature (for example, beekeeping), government reports, etc. No information to indicate a problem Unsubstantiated statements	Experimental data on the GMO and/or parent organism in the Australian environment Experimental data on the GMO and/or parent organism overseas Experimental data on modified traits in other organisms Experimental data on related, surrogate systems