GE Free Northland action alert: submissions needed on GE/GMO issue in response to proposed Northland Regional Plan

GE Free Northland action alert:
submissions needed on GE/GMO issue in response to Northland Regional Council's proposed New Regional Plan

Have your say! :)

The Proposed Regional Plan sets out new rules and policies for how people use fresh water, land, air and the coast in Northland and is now open for submissions until 4pm Wednesday, 15 November 2017.  

Please make a submission (in addition to any other points you wish to make) stating that you want strong precautionary and prohibitive GE provisions, policies and rules in the Northland new Regional Plan

This will complement the precautionary GMO provisions in the Northland 'Regional Policy Statement",  the Auckland Council Unitary Plan, and the Far North District Council and Whangarei District Council excellent collaborative GMO Plan changes.  Key points you may like to make at *** below.

Ways to make a submission:

Submissions can be delivered to Northland Regional Council by:

  • Emailsubmissions@nrc.govt.nz
  • Mail: PRP Submissions
    Northland Regional Council
    Private Bag 9021, Whangārei Mail Centre
    Whangārei 0148
  • Delivery: any Northland Regional Council Office
In your submission please provide the following:

Date: 

Submission to: Northland Regional Council proposed Regional Plan
Northland Regional Council
Private Bag 9021, Whangārei Mail Centre
Whangārei 0148

Submission by:

(your contact details)

I wish/ do not wish to be heard (state your preference).  

Decision sought by NRC (key points you may like to make on GE/GMOs in your submission)
I/we note that the outstanding appeals on the Northland Regional Policy Statement (GE/GMOs) are now resolved and that the Northland RPS can now be made operative. This is very good news!
The decision I/ we seek from the Council is that the proposed Regional Plan be amended to include the following provisions and policies:
 
 1. Include in the tangata whenua section of the Regional Plan strong precautionary and prohibitive GE/GMO provisions (in keeping with the wording in the Northland RPS as relates to tangata whenua and their specific concerns about the risks of GMOs to the environment, their cultural values, and to indigenous biodiversity).  
To address and support the precautionary and prohibitive GE/GMO policies of all Tai Tokerau Iwi authorities, for all their respective rohe (Bombay hills north to Reinga).
We support the GE/GMO wording section D.1.1 of the Tangata whenua section but wish to see this strengthend, with reference to the fact that GE/GMOs has been identified as an Issue of Significance for Northland tangata whenua ..and that the risks of GE/GMOs to indigenous biodiversity is a particular concern
2. The inclusion of GMO provisions in the Coastal Marine Area of the Northland Regional Plan that are the same as in the Auckland Unitary Plan, that being to adopt a precautionary approach to the management of GMOs by prohibiting of outdoor release of a GMO and making outdoor field- testing a discretionary activity, in the Coastal Marine Area.  
3. To include GMO provisions in the Soil & Water section of the Regional Plan that avoids toxic discharges to soils & water from GMOs, thereby avoiding transgenic contamination of soils and waterways (and adverse impacts on non GM primary producers).  We note that the vectors for transgenic contamination include soils, seeds, pollen, insects, machinery, water, plant material, animals, as well as human error.  

4. To adopt a resource management framework for the management of GMOs that is Region specific, taking into account environmental, economic and social well-being considerations.

5. To address and support Northland District Councils and Auckland Council's opposition to outdoor use of GMOs

 I / we support Whangarei District Council's GMO plan change #131, Far North District Council GMO Plan change #18, and the precautionary and prohibitive GE/GMO provisions in the Auckland Council Unitary Plan.  

I/we support the innovative and collaborative work of the Northland/  Auckland "Inter Council Working Party on GMO Risk Evaluation & Management Options."

 

See

www.wdc.govt.nz/PlansPoliciesandBylaws/Plans/Genetic-Engineering/Pages/default.aspx


 

 

I/ we support the valuable precautionary GE/GMO provisions in t he Northland Regional Policy Statement and the identification of the GE/GMO issue as an Issue of Significance for Northland tangata whenua...and...an issue of concern for Northland communities.  The risks of outdoor use of GMOs to indigenous biodiversity is a particular concern of Northland tangata whenua.

I/ we ask that NRC do more to protect our valuable existing GE free status, our biosecurity, indigenous biodiversity, existing non -GM primary producers (foresters, beekeepers, horticulturists. and farmers), our economy, the environment, our cultural values, growing organic sector (including Maori organics "Hua Parakore") and the public health from outdoor use of GMOs.

I/we oppose the outdoor use of GMO's /GE (genetic intervention, gene drive, gene editing) on our public lands/ conservation estate  I/we are confident that the jurisdictional issue will be settled in favour of Whangarei District Council (appellant) and NRC (respondent) in the Court of Appeal (22 November 2017 Wellington hearing).  

As confirmed by Parliament in April 2017 (Resource Legislation Amendment Act 2017) and due to Federated Farmers of NZ withdrawal of their two vexatious appeals (GE/GMOs) on the Northland RPS, local councils do have the authority to ban or regulate outdoor use of GMOs, as part of integrated management.

I/ we want the NRC to insert Regional Plan provisions into the new Northland Regional Plan that
integrate the Northland RPS and proposed District
Plan provisions (FNDC and WDC collaborative GMO plan changes)regarding GMO’s
 Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission.  Please keep me /us 
informed.

*****************

More information:
GE Free Northland

or email NRC at:

 

Kia kaha!
Mauri ora,
Zelka Linda Grammer 
for GE Free Tai Tokerau
contact:
spokesperson Martin Robinson  09 407 8650  
022 136 9619