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Opportunity to make submissions in support of precautionary and prohibitive GE/GMO policies, provisions, rules in the Kaipara District Council draft District Plan
GE Free Northland action alert!
Great news and a great opportunity to make a submission (it's easy!) in response to the excellent precautionary and prohibitive GE/GMO policies in the recently released Kaipara District Council "Exposure draft"
(you do not need to reside in Kaipara District to submit, as GE/GMO experiments/ field trials do not respect boundaries. Submissions from Whangarei, Far North and Auckland regions most welcome!)
Background:
The draft Kaipara District Plan contains excellent precautionary and prohibitive GE/GMO provisions, policies, rules. This is very exciting, KDC is the last to finally place GE/GMO provisions out of all the Northland and Auckland councils. KDC was a formative member of the Northland/ Auckland INTER COUNCIL WORKING PARTY ON GMO RISK EVALUATION & MANAGEMENT OPTIONS.
Soon every single council from south Auckland to Cape Reinga will have controls or bans on risky outdoor GE/GMO experiments/ field trials or releases (in order to protect our biosecurity, unique biodiversity, wider environment, existing GE/GMO free primary producers, growing organic sector, our food sovereignty and cultural values.
But your help is needed- as Federated Farmers of NZ, various NZ Crown Research Institutes and biotech companies will be submitting against the excellent GE/GMO provisions, policies and rules!
Help GE Free Northland avoid going back to court!
Submissions close: 5pm, Friday 16 September 2022
Have your Say!
Email in your submission: districtplanreview@kaipara.govt.nz
Do it online:
By mail to:
- District Plan Review
Kaipara District Council
Private Bag 1001
Dargaville 0340
Or drop off your submission at any KDC service centre at Dargaville (council building or library) and 6 Molesworth Drive, Mangawhai
Key points you may like to make on the GE/GMOs issue in your submission to KDC (along with any other issues you would like to address)
You can note if you are a farmer/ primary producer, home gardener, seed saver, forester, or beekeeper)
I strongly support the excellent precautionary and prohibitive GE/GMO provisions, policies and rules and would like to congratulate you on your commitment to truly sustainable integrated management, protecting Kaipara farmers (and their valuable enterprises from GE/GMO contamination) and other ratepayers, and our economy and environment.
We are in support of your excellent precautionary and prohibitive GMO policies, rules and objectives outlined in the Exposure draft district plan, and in alignment with similar GE/GMO provisions the operative Whangarei District Plan, Far North District Plan, Northland "Regional Policy Statement", Northland "Regional Plan" and Auckland Unitary.
These are necessary to protect our biosecurity, unique biodiversity, wider environment, economy, existing GM free primary producers and their valuable enterprises (including the growing organic sector), our food sovereignty, heritage seeds, cultural values, and "Northland, naturally" brand.
We ask, however, that you consider these slight changes by adding a further point to policy GMO-P8 –6. Annual trial and monitoring report outcomes are provided to the Kaipara District Council.
Also, regarding the GMO terminology in TEMP-R4 change the wording to “Conditional and Full Release of GMO“ from “Outdoor release of GMO”. This is in line with the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) GMO classifications.
Thank you KDC for working responsibly in a collaborative and fiscally responsible manner with all other councils from south Auckland to Cape Reinga, to protect Kaipara District and the wider region (northern peninsula) and listening to the wishes of your ratepayers/ residents.
The proposed KDC GE/GMO policies/ provisions are in alignment not only with all other councils in the north but also the precautionary and prohibitive GE/GMO policies of Tai Tokerau Iwi for their respective rohe.
I am very concerned about deficiencies in the HSNO Act (as identified by the Northland/ Auckland INTER COUNCIL WORKING PARTY ON GMO RISK EVALUATION & MANAGEMENT OPTIONS, Local Government NZ, and many other councils). Deficiencies in HSNO include inadequate liability provisions and no mandatory requirement for the EPA to take a precautionary approach to outdoor GE/GMO applications.
So thank you for taking action on a local level, acting in accordance with the Local Government Act 2002 (the 4 Well Beings) and using the RMA to complement the HSNO Act for truly sustainable integrated management.
These GMO provisions (including liability/ bond requirements) deserve widespread support. I note that GMOs include risky and controversial gene edited organisms. I also have concerns about any outdoor experiments with controversial sterility technique "gene drive".
An unprecedented drive is under way to promote new genetic modification techniques that are collectively termed gene editing – most notably CRISPR/Cas. The agricultural biotech industry claims that these techniques can provide solutions to our food and farming problems, including the challenges posed by climate change, pests, and diseases.
The report (authored by GMWatch editor Claire Robinson with technical input by molecular geneticist Dr Michael Antoniou of the UK) looks at the claims and shows them to be at best misleading and at worst deceptive. It shows that gene editing is a costly and potentially dangerous distraction from the real solutions to the challenges faced by our food and farming sectors.
Please keep me informed. I wish to be heard at any hearing that may occur.
Further background: KDC GMOs fact sheet (District wide matter)
and the further detail here on KDC proposed precautionary and prohibitive GMO provisions, policies, rules
GMO – Genetically modified organisms
"Overview
The Council has decided to take a precautionary approach to prohibit the release of any genetically modified organisms (GMOs), due to the scientific uncertainty on natural resources and ecosystems and because the risk in some cases could be irreversible.
Primary Productive activities are an important land use in the District and are major contributors to the local and regional economy.
This precautionary management of GMO is consistent with the District plans of adjoining councils. The Regional Plan also manages GMO in the Coastal Marine Area (CMA) on the same principles." The Northland "Regional Policy Statement" has precautionary and prohibitive wording, including GE Policy 6.1.2
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