GE Free Northland Action alert!
Kia ora koutou
Please circulate widely- help us oppose the undemocratic and extreme proposals in the Gene Technology Bill.
The National Party Science Minister quietly released the Bill just a few days before Christmas 2024, hoping we wouldn't notice.
(and re...
Northland, Auckland and Hawke's Bay councils oppose the undemocratic and extreme Gene Technology Bill
GE-Free Northland (in food & environment) Press Release 17/2/25
Protecting Our Democratic Right to Be GE-Free
GE Free Northland thanks the councils of Northern Peninsula for taking action to oppose undemocratic and extreme proposals in the controversial Gene Technology Bill.
Northland Regional Council, Whangarei District Council, Far North District Council, Auckland Council, as well as Hastings District Council have made a commitment to farmers and other ratepayers to oppose the Bill in its current form.
Regional and district plans reflect the values and priorities of these communities. In Northland and Auckland, the current regulatory regime governing GMOs is the result of many years of community engagement and fiscally responsible collaboration across district and regional councils (since at least 2001).
Northland and Auckland Region, along with the Hastings District, are established GE Free food producing zones that provide protection from outdoor GE/GMO experimentation including field trials.
The proposals to strip local councils of their authority and jurisdiction regarding GMO activities outlined in clauses 248 to 253 of the Gene Technology Bill* (1) are the latest attempt by the National-led government to destroy existing enforceable GE Free Zones.
There is strong opposition from these councils to the parts of the current Gene Technology Bill that would remove existing district and regional regulations, and significantly reduce local participation in decision-making around outdoor GMOs. Clauses in the Bill seek to undermine many years of collaborative work done by Northland and Auckland's local authorities, to bring about a cohesive plan that represents the values of their communities and ensures truly sustainable integrated management to protect finite resources and biosecurity.
Whangarei District Council (WDC) Deputy Mayor and retired farmer Phil Halse strongly supports WDC's submission, which opposes the undemocratic Gene Technology Bill.
Clr Halse stressed that "we need to protect the strong precautionary and prohibitive GE/ GMO provisions in the Northland and Auckland Council operative plans, put in place to protect our biosecurity, farmers and other ratepayers. We've done the work in a collaborative and fiscally responsible manner, in keeping with the wishes of our ratepayers".*(2)
RECKLESS GENE TECHNOLOGY BILL AN ATTACK ON LOCAL DEMOCRACY, FARMERS, AND COUNCILS
Protecting Our Democratic Right to Be GE-Free
GE Free Northland (in food & environment)
12 February 2025 - Media release
Whangarei, Far North, Kaipara, and Auckland communities share the concerns of many New Zealanders about the controversial Gene Technology Bill, quietly released just days before Christmas 2024.
The Bill proposes removing all ethical considerations and the Precautionary approach to outdoor GE/ GMO applications and the authors of the Bill have failed to adequately consult with the farming sector. In addition, the Bill proposes stripping local councils of their authority and jurisdiction in regard to outdoor GE experiments, field trials, and releases.
ACT's outdated GE policy ignores sound science and the risks
01-February-2024
The National and ACT party plan to weaken much needed regulation on GE is unscientific and outdated, putting farmers and our biosecurity at risk.
A recent panui by ACT MP Parmjeet Parmar focuses on a gene edited r...
