Controversial genetically modified mosquito release paused after backlash in Qld

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Controversial genetically modified mosquito release paused after backlash in Qld

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Brandon Long,  Australian Broadcasting Corporation,  2025.

A plan to release genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes in Queensland has been paused, with the organisation behind the idea withdrawing its licence application.

Oxitec Australia — a partnership between Australia’s CSIRO and US biotech firm Oxitec Ltd — aimed to sell its so-called “friendly” mosquitoes to reduce the spread of diseases like dengue.

The plan received backlash from scientists, health experts, and the public, but CSIRO said the step back was not due to concerns about the technology. “This decision was not related to concerns about the technology itself, rather a determination made around the early stage of the company and the necessary financial requirements of holding a licence,” a CSIRO spokesperson said.