GE FREE Northland June/ July 2020 PUBLIC APPEAL FOR FUNDS

GE Free Northland (in food & environment) June / July 2020
PUBLIC APPEAL FOR FUNDS
 
GE Free Northland became a s274 (interested) party in support of Whangarei District Council and Far North District Council's appeal against Northland Regional Council, due to the NRC's controversial 16 July 2019 GE/GMOs decision ( to exclude all precautionary and prohibitive GE/GMO provisions from the proposed new Regional Plan for Northland).  

In our view, the NRC has failed to make a sound decision on the critically important GE/GMOs issue, despite the  scientific, economic, and cultural evidence presented by submitters supporting provisions to control the adverse effects of GMO use on the environment through the Plan. We joined Whangarei District Council and Far North District Council last year in seeking relief in the Environment Court against NRC.

The NRC July 2019 GE/GMOs decision was passed by one vote, the casting vote of the chair, despite strong community and submitter support for a precautionary approach to GMOs, and clear direction for precautionary wording (already in the operative Regional Policy Statement for Northland).  

The process followed by NRC regarding the GE/GMO issue has been highly controversial, and angered many Northlanders. We consider there has been a lack of transparency which was exacerbated by the failure to appoint independent commissioners to consider the GMO issue under the proposed Regional Plan for Northland,  

There are questions about the failure by NRC to act in keeping with precautionary GE/GMO Policy 6.1.2, Method 6.1.5 and other wording in the operative Northland "Regional Policy Statement".
See
GE Free Northland 16 August 2019 Media Release
 
With your help we will ensure strong precautionary and prohibitive GMO provisions are placed in the new Regional Plan for Northland (at the very least, in the Coastal Marine Area).


Any donations or other financial support would be greatly appreciated.  Your donations and other financial support will be used to help cover the costs of our legal counsel,  top planners and Expert Witnesses to date.

Now that the NRC has voted (16 June 2020) to support precautionary and prohibitive GE/GMO provisions in the Coastal Marine Area of the new Regional Plan for Northland (and Federated Farmers, Biotech NZ and NZ "Life" Sciences Network have formally withdrawn their interest in the case) once the wording of the provisions in the new Regional Plan are settled, the Environment Court case will be withdrawn by the appellants Whangarei and Far North District Council. 
But our community group still has the bills to pay!

Northland Regional Council is working with the parties involved in the Environment Court process (including WDC, FNDC and GE Free Northland) to confirm the wording in the NRC proposed new Regional Plan and then file it with the Environment Court for sign-off.

Our bank account details are as follows:

GE Free (Northland) Inc account ¬ ANZ Kerikeri
01 0382 0009202 00

Cheques can be posted to:
Secretary, GE - Free Northland PO Box 1439  Whangarei 0140 Northland

Thank you for your support so that we can continue doing the good work we do.   Receipts on request :)

Thank you for your help in ensuring that the new Regional Plan for Northland is in alignment with the excellent precautionary and prohibitive GE/GMO provisions in the Auckland Unitary Plan, supports the wishes of Northland District Councils WDC and FNDC, and protects Northland's Coastal Marine Area and land. Kaipara District is particularly vulnerable to applications to the EPA for outdoor GE experiments, field trials and releases in Northland but will progress its excellent proposed GE/GMO plan change (to the District Plan) next year after public consultation.

Further information below.  Do not hesitate to contact us should you require further information or a receipt (for donations).
 
With thanks from the committee of GE Free Tai Tokerau- together we are stronger

Zelka Linda Grammer ( Chairperson) & Martin Robinson ( Spokesperson)
for GE - Free Northland in food & environment  
contact:

Martin Robinson: 09 407 8650
022 136 9619