Press releases

Government Research Agenda Goes Against New Zealand Brand

GE FREE NZ Press Release

21 November 2011

Government Research Agenda Goes Against New Zealand Brand


The Ministry of Environment's research into promoting greater use of novel organisms is off-stategy for the New Zealand Brand and shows an intention to dilute bio-security standards. 


NORTHLAND REGIONAL COUNCIL NRC NEEDS TO DO MORE TO SUPPORT NORTHLAND TERRITORIAL AUTHORITIES AND THE AUCKLAND COUNCIL IN KEEPING RISKY GMOs OUT OF THE REGION

GE FREE NORTHLAND Press Release l6 November 2011

NRC NEEDS TO DO MORE TO SUPPORT NORTHLAND TERRITORIAL AUTHORITIES AND
THE AUCKLAND COUNCIL IN KEEPING RISKY GMOs OUT OF THE REGION


GE Free Northland are pleased by the NRC decision yesterday to
reaffirm its own precautionary GE policy and to appoint NRC Chairman
Craig Brown to represent the council on the Inter Council Working
Party on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).

"We are concerned, however, that the NRC failed to vote to contribute
funds towards the collaborative section 32 analysis on GMOs that all
Northland territorial authorities and Auckland Council are
undertaking," said Martin Robinson, GE Free Northland spokesperson.

There is sustained concern in Northland and other parts of New
Zealand, about genetic engineering (GE) experiments and releases in
this country, particularly in view of the documented adverse impacts
of GMOs overseas and inadequately contained GE experiments in NZ.

“Nonetheless, central government continues to ignore local community
and independent scientists concerns about GMOs,” said Mr. Robinson.

"Therefore, the NRC needs to put its shoulder to the wheel and support
its territorial authorities and Auckland Council and contribute
funding to the important current work programme of the ICWP on GMOs".

"The NRC is supposed to be the over arching environmental protection
authority for the region. In addition, NRC contributing funds would be
a fiscally prudent move- as by doing the work collaboratively,
councils can share costs and staff expertise".

NRC Chairman Craig Brown responds:

"Having been involved in the process of investigating the risks of
GMOs for well over 10 years, I am disappointed that my council did not

NORTHLAND LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND AUCKLAND COUNCIL COLLABORATIVELY INVESTIGATE LOCAL GMO CONTROLS

GE Free Northland Press Release
13 November 2011

NORTHLAND LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND AUCKLAND COUNCIL COLLABORATIVELY
INVESTIGATE LOCAL GMO CONTROLS

GE Free Northland are delighted by the recent news that Kaipara
District Council voted to join Auckland Council “super city”, Far
North District Council to collaborate with Whangarei District Council
in the investigation of some type local regulation of Genetically
Modified Organisms (GMOs).

KDC Mayor Neil Tiller is the new Kaipara District Council
representative on the  Auckland/Northland  "Inter Council Working
Party on GMO Risk Evaluation & Management Options".

At least four councils are now set to investigate a plan change and
section 32 analysis of GMOs, because of the risks to our biosecurity,
environment, economy, and the livelihoods of existing non -GM primary
producers.

Northland Regional Council will vote on Tuesday l5 November 2011,
whether NRC will join in this important work, in keeping with their
official precautionary GE policies.

There is sustained concern in Northland and other parts of New
Zealand, about genetic engineering (GE) experiments and releases in
this country, particularly in view of the documented adverse impacts
of GMOs overseas.

“Nonetheless, central government continues to ignore local community
and independent scientists concerns about GMOs,” said Martin Robinson,
GE Free Northland spokesperson.

"Therefore, the NRC needs to put its shoulder to the wheel and support
its territorial authorities and Auckland Council and contribute
funding to the important current work programme of the ICWP on GMOs".

Whangarei councillors have already unanimously rejected the outdoor

Northland local authorities and Auckland Council collaboratively investigate local GMO controls

GE Free Northland Press Release

24 July 2011
 
Northland local authorities and Auckland Council collaboratively investigate local GMO controls
 
GE Free Northland are delighted by the news that the Auckland Council “super city” and Far North District Council have made a commitment to collaborate with Whangarei District Council in the investigation of some type of regulation of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).
 
At least three councils are now set to investigate a plan change and section 32 analysis of GMOs, because of the risks to our biosecurity, environment

Human Trials of GE-Wheat Unethical



Proposals for extending animal feeding studies for GE wheat to humans are unethical and signal the need for an urgent overhaul of the science used by regulators to approve scores of GM foods.

A group of international scientists has warned the developers of a GE-Wheat at the CSIRO in Australia against the proposals. There is an acute ethical issue in the lack of long-term feeding studies in animals, which in some cases show complex and inter-generational harm from the GE food tested of which none of the GM foods approved by Food Authorities have undergone human studies.

Research has recently been published by Professor Peter Gluckman - the New Zealand government's chief scientific advisor - which reveals the complex epigenetic effects relating to maternal diet. The effects continue to the next generation in a way that is not yet understood. This complexity is simply not considered or addressed in safety testing of GE food.

The GE-Wheat been not been adequately tested in animals to even be considered as a candidate for human feeding studies. 

"New Zealand scientists should condemn human feeding trials of GM foods in Australia, and elsewhere," says Jon Carapiet, spokesman for GE-free NZ in food and environment.

Overseas there are reports of GE "golden" rice also being used in human feeding trials, despite the risks to human health being entirely unnecessary.

"It cannot be ethical to be experimenting on humans with Genetically Engineered food when the disease targeted by the golden-rice magic bullet can easily be prevented," says Jon Carapiet.

WHANGAREI DISTRICT COUNCIL MOVES TO PROTECT ITS COMMUNITY FROM GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS

GE FREE NORTHLAND

Press Release 15 April 2011

 

Whangarei District Council moves to protect its community from Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

 

Whangarei District Councillors have voted unanimously to reject the outdoor use of genetically engineered (GE) crops and animals in the District.   Whangarei District Council will now (in addition to its own District Plan change to prevent GMO land use) actively seek to undertake a collaborative plan change with all Northland councils and Auckland Council to keep GMOs out of the wider region.

 

Well done WDC!

WHANGAREI DISTRICT COUNCIL VOTES UNANIMOUS WAY FORWARD FOR STOPPING GE

13 April 2011

 News release

 Whangarei vote unanimous on way forward for GE

 

www.wdc.govt.nz/NewsRoom/MediaReleases/2011-Media-Releases/Pages/Whangarei-vote-unanimous-on-way-forwardforGE.aspx

 Whangarei District Council (WDC) has taken a leadership position on the controversial issue of genetic engineering. Councillors voted unanimously today at their Environment Committee Meeting to investigate regulating genetically modified organisms (GMOs) through the District Plan in conjunction with other councils in Northland and Auckland. The regulation would most likely take the form of prohibiting releases of GMOs to the environment and requiring resource consents for GE trials undertaken in Northland and Auckland.

SECRET GE PINE EXPERIMENTS AT ROTORUA SITE A THREAT TO NZ'S BIOSECURITY AND FORESTRY

 

 

 

GE FREE NORTHLAND Press Release

16 March 2011

SECRET GE PINE EXPERIMENTS AT ROTORUA SITE A THREAT TO NZ'S BIOSECURITY AND FORESTRY

GE Free Northland shares the concerns expressed by many New Zealanders about ERMA’s recent approval of Scion’s GE pine application for 4,000 GE pines, at secret sites at the Scion Rotorua property.

The Scion application contains information that is misleading and inaccurate. Implementation of this field trial would expose the country's economy and environment to serious risks.

Previous GE field trials by NZ Crown Research Institutes have been found to be in breach of the conditions of approval by ERMA. Given that Scion (despite public opposition) has used public funding for this risky GE experiment, it is even more important to know where GE trials are being conducted, to keep the inspectors and trial operators honest.

"GE pine pollen travels long distances and cannot be constrained to one known site, but the public must at least know where this site is, in order for them to be informed of risks and to be able to keep an eye on the GE trees."

"How are 4,000 trees going to be monitored in safety when previously 70 GE trees could not be properly looked after by Scion?" asked Martin Robinson, spokesperson for GE Free NZ (Northland).

An example of misleading information from Scion is their claim that pine pollen only disperses for 300 metres. However, a number of recent scientific publications have reported viable pine pollen spreading up to 60 kilometres.

Research published last year showed that pine pollen travels up to 41 kms in as little as 3 hours in moderate winds. At higher wind speeds pollen can travel this distance in 45 minutes, reaching altitudes of 610 metres.

Inquiry into AgResearch GE experiments needed

Inquiry into AgResearch GE experiments needed

GREENS PRESS RELEASE  21 FEBRUARY 2011

 Contact: Sue Kedgley MP

It is time for AgResearch to admit the failure of its genetic engineering experiments on animals and halt these experiments altogether, the Green Party said today.

 

"A full Parliamentary inquiry is needed into the ethics and animal welfare issues surrounding the failed GE trials at AgResearch's Ruakura facility," Green Party Animal Welfare spokesperson Sue Kedgley said.

There has been a veil of secrecy surrounding AgResearch’s GE animal experiments which it conducts using taxpayers’ money. It’s time to lift the lid on that research and consider the animal welfare and ethical implications of creating GE animals.

 

AgResearch has today revealed unacceptably high death rates among its genetically engineered laboratory animals. It also revealed that deformities including lameness, chronic arthritis and a high rate of foetal deaths, has forced it to abandon its experiments to create GE animals by cloning techniques.

 

"Yet AgResearch still intends to push on with its GE animal experiments, using unproven, experimental techniques," Ms Kedgley said.

 

100% Pure USA Drive Towards New Zealand As A GE Nation

 

Media Release

Attention: Environment, Tourism, Business, Health, Science, Education, Food, Farming and Political Reporters

Syndicate content