Mark Freeman
A group opposed to the Gene Technology Bill says the Government pushing the bill through parliament “makes a mockery of the select committee process”.
The Government introduced the bill into parliament on December 17, just before the summer holidays, and submissions close on 17 February. The bill is a move by the National Party to end the three-decade ban on gene technology outside the laboratory in New Zealand and introduce a gene technology regulator by the end of this year.
Last weekend, the Collective for the Safe Use of Gene Technology started a four-weekend awareness-raising campaign with signs and fliers on the streets of the Wellington and Wairarapa regions.
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Spokesperson Tracey says the first reading of the bill was the week before Christmas with a closed gallery in parliament: even interest groups couldn’t see what was in the bill until afterwards.
While National are not fast-tracking this bill, “The lack of consideration of current international debate and the lack of New Zealand interest group consultation, the summer holiday timing and the narrowed scope for the health select committee are all indicators of how this is being planned to be pushed through.”
Overseas corporate interests are behind the bill, she says. “We’re talking about companies profiting from their patents on their products: not just seeds, but what they’re doing to animals. It doesn’t profit the farmers or the growers or the local economy.”
Tracey says the bill is not good for the health of New Zealanders, and she hopes it will be rejected in the select committee process. “We’re hoping that enough people in New Zealand will take a pause to read what’s proposed in the bill, then make a submission to the Health Select Committee and contact their MPs, and hopefully it’ll get thrown out at the second reading.”
A number of people and organisations have spoken out on the dangers of the bill, including food safety advocate Guy Hatchard, GE Free NZ, Organics Aotearoa New Zealand, Physicians and Scientists for Global Responsibility, GE Honesty and GeneTechGamble.
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Under the legislation, says GE Free NZ, labelling of genetically engineered organisms will not be required, public consultation will not be required if GE plants or organisms have been approved by overseas authorities, there will be no regional GE-free zones and there is a clause for mandatory approval of GE medicines.
Tracey is asking people to plan a Food Gene Tech Awareness weekend on 8–9 February, during which they complete their submission, share real food with their loved ones and send photos of their food to their MPs.
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