Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) will be under the spotlight in Northland next week at an Environment Court
mediation.NAD0558242414 - GMOs for Northland farming - in or out of Proposed Northland Regional Plan?
(Photo Northern Advocate, supplied NB single use only)
The Whangarei mediation is the next step in a strongly-polarised and long-running fight focused on Northland Regional
Council (NRC) and updating of the region’s planning heavyweight - the Proposed Northland Regional Plan - that critically
influences whether genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can be used in the region.
An Environment Court Commissioner from Auckland will helm the mediation taking place at Forum North on Monday.
Representatives from both sides of the strongly polarised GMO inclusion debate will be present.
The mediation is part of opponents Whangarei and Far North District Councils’ joint appeal against NRC’s controversial
July 2019 decision to leave a precautionary approach against the use of GMOs in the region out of Proposed Northland
Regional Plan updating.
NRC will not be offering any evidence in mediation around this appeal. In a significant back down, NRC three weeks ago
(SUBS: 29 January) publicly announced it would no longer be defending the July 2019 council decision in upcoming
court-ordered Environment Court mediation. The new October 2019-elected NRC council about turn superceded the decision
made just three months earlier by its October 2016-elected council predecessors.
The NRC on 29 January said the new council - elected in October 2019 - would not be officially changing the previous
council’s position on management of GMOs in its Proposed Northland Regional Plan.
But it said the new council had confirmed it would now take a ‘back seat’ and not take an active role – including
offering any evidence – in upcoming Environment Court appeal proceedings on the GMO issue.
Environment Court mediation in Forum North will focus on the district councils’ NRC appeal plus the Proposed Northland
Regional Plan and genetic engineering and genetically modified organisms.
Heavyweight proponents of continuing with a Proposed Northland Regional Plan that does not include a precautionary
approach to the use of GMOs in the region are expected at the mediation. These include Wellington-based pro GE/GMO/
agrichemical lobby group Life Science Network whose members include Federated Farmers of New Zealand.
There is a range of options that can happen after Monday, depending on the mediation outcome. A second day of mediation
could be required at a later date, given that there are a large number of parties involved. Other options include
parties involved instead proceeding directly to the more formal Environment Court hearing to be heard by an Environment
Court judge.