(petition of Lisa Er)
Halt the Gene Technology Bill and set up a Commission of Inquiry
A petition has been launched from the Parliamentary website by Lisa Er of Lisa's hummus.
Her delicious hummus was one of the first the products to have a GE Free label.
Everyone welcome to be there (in Wellington) for the presentation (along with various MP's including Dr. Deborah Russell of Labour)
Please click on the link and sign the petition:
https://petitions.parliament.nz/b64831bc-b0b2-4518-a62d-08dd708a9825
If you would like a hard copy of the petition, please email: linda.grammer@gmail.com for the document. Thanks!
Link to our article:
https://web.gefreenorthland.org.nz/press-releases/its-time-for-action-every-voice-counts
Link to the most important document you will ever read:
Posted on Feb 14, 2025
https://www.guardianonline.co.nz/news/gene-tech-bill-a-slap-in-the-face-to-farmers-experts/
Mt Somers farmer Duncan Humm said the bill is a “slap in the face - to farmers, agronomists and experts.”
“We’ve got to think of what New Zealand has achieved while other countries have gone down that [gene editing] road.
“We are the best of the best in a lot of areas, and we haven’t had to use that tech.”
The NZ Farming content curator said farmers cannot afford to experiment with their income and livelihood.
“There’s no hardcore evidence to suggest anything is practical or feasible with this technology.
“So it seems like one hell of a gamble on something that’s completely unproven.
“Agriculture in New Zealand is worth something like $56 billion in exports, so why would you gamble all of that on something that might not work?”
According to an independent study by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER), New Zealand’s primary sector exports could be reduced by $10 - $20 billion annually, if GMOs were to be released into the environment.
The report was commissioned by Organics Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ) to evaluate the cost of proposed regulatory changes governing gene technology.
OANZ says that the costs, as well as supposed benefits of deregulating gene technology, need to be carefully considered.
The NZIER study authors note that the proposed changes to the regulations as outlined by Wellington bureaucrats at the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE),
do not include a Regulatory Impact Statement, economic assessment, cost-benefit analysis or address the practicality of "co-existence" of GE and non GE crops..given the known vectors for GMO contamination (seeds, pollen, vegetative material, soils, waterways, machinery, animals, insects, extreme weather events).
The report was commissioned by Organics Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ) to evaluate the cost of proposed regulatory changes governing gene technology.
OANZ says that the costs, as well as supposed benefits of deregulating gene technology, need to be carefully considered.
Media Statement: "NZ exports risk multi-billion dollar hit if GMO rules deregulated"
Gene shift could cost exporters billions: report
"Researchers flag lack of research from MBIE on financial impact of opening doors to gene editing."
https://www.farmersweekly.co.nz/technology/gene-shift-could-cost-exporters-billions-report/
"Let's cut the crap on gene technology"
by Professor Jack Heinemann
https://www.concernedfarmersnz.org/news/get-out-there-n9t2h-2c3pz-4tsby-ek7wx-e3res-nnleb
https://psgr.org.nz/component/jdownloads/send/1-root/166-gtbill-3pager
Gene tech bill “a slap in the face to farmers, experts”
https://www.guardianonline.co.nz/news/gene-tech-bill-a-slap-in-the-face-to-farmers-experts/
"The Risks of GMO Deregulation to NZ Farmers"
"There is no ban on gene technology in NZ. This misleading hyperbole is used to obscure a failure to engineer products that will have a market or social value that exceeds the cost of compliance with reasonable regulations."
- Professor Jack Heinemann, Genetics/ Molecular Biology, Canterbury University, and director- Centre for Integrated Research in Biosafety
Radio NZ 2 September 2016
"Environment Minister accused of GMO beat-up"
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/312414/environment-minister-accused-of-gmo-beat-up
Northern Advocate
5 September 2016