Guest View as published today's 9 May 2011 Northern Advocate (p. 6), under the heading
COUNCIL REJECTION OF GE DESERVES SUPPORT
COUNCIL REJECTION OF GE DESERVES SUPPORT
By
Zelka Grammer
GE Free Northland chairwoman
9 May 2011
NORTHERN ADVOCATE
Cheers WDC for saying NO to GE.
Whangarei councillors recently made history by unanimously rejected the outdoor use of genetically engineered crops and animals in Whangarei District.
WDC is now asking other Northland councils to join in a collaborative plan change to ban all GMOs in our region.
This is a wise move considering that a big multinational like Monsanto or Crown Research Institutes can apply for GE experiments or releases on our patch, without being liable for any harm caused.
After lobbying central government for over 7 years to fix the flaws and gaps in the national minimal legislation that covers GE, local councils have finally had enough and are saying no to GE.
Deformed GE salmon, blends of transgenic animals (including human genes) , GE trees and GE crops that contain insecticide in every cell and gene are the types of experiments Council wants to ban locally to protect our biosecurity, farmers, rural communities and public health.
The Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) approved experiments with GM cattle resulting in high mortality rates and gross deformities. Six-month-old calves who appeared "normal" unexpectedly died when their internal organs ruptured.