2 September 2001 Media Statement
Alliance GE Free
The Alliance wants a moratorium on the release of genetically modified organisms until the technology is proven to be
safe, while it's supporting contained research on GM as well as research and development, and production of GM
medicines.
The Alliance Council adopted its policy this weekend following the Royal Commission Report on Genetic Modification.
The Labour Alliance Coalition Government is due to decide in October on a Government response to the Royal Commission.
Alliance leader and Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton said the Alliance supports the Royal Commission's view that NZ
should 'preserve opportunities'.
"The Alliance believes the best way to preserve opportunities is to ensure our current GM free agriculture and
environment should not be compromised. Once the technology is released it can't be brought back, and so a moratorium
should extend until the technology is proven to be safe.
"The Alliance pushed for the Royal Commission and the moratorium that operated very successfully. The moratorium was
recently extended until the Government made a decision.
"The Alliance position decided this weekend continues the trend of pioneering carefully thought-out positions on this
issue," Jim Anderton said.
Attached is the Alliance position paper.
1st September 2001
Alliance Position Paper on Genetic Modification
The use of genetic modification is a major strategic issue for New Zealand’s future.
The Royal Commission on Genetic Modification found many uncertainties about the risks and effects of genetic
modification on the environment, human health and our economy. The Commission concluded that much more research is
needed before any genetically modified organisms should be released in to our environment and that the first release
decision should be made by the Minister for the Environment.
The Alliance supports the Commission’s view that we must ‘preserve opportunities’. We believe the best way to achieve
this is by not compromising our current ‘GM free’ agriculture and environment.
Moratorium
The Alliance does not support the release of GM organisms into the environment.
The Alliance believes that there should be a further moratorium on the development and production of non-contained GM
organisms until the technology is proven to be safe.
Under no circumstances should New Zealand’s natural environment be put under threat.
The Alliance believes the same restrictions should apply to field trials during a new moratorium as applied during the
successful moratorium of 2000/01. The Alliance rejects conditional release and buffer zones as we believe they cannot be
made to work.
Research
The Alliance supports New Zealand laboratory based research into genetically modified organisms. In New Zealand there
have already been many advances in research by using genetic modification in laboratories to better understand natural
organisms. The Alliance supports research within containment without risk to the environment or human health.
Medicine
The Alliance supports the contained and strictly controlled use of genetic modification in the development and
production of medicines and medical research.
Economy
New Zealand should make the most of the opportunities our clean green image provides in our export and tourism markets.
The Alliance believes it is important that genetic modification is not used in a way that undermines these opportunities
or our clean, green competitive advantage.
Society
There are also significant cultural, ethical and spiritual issues for tangata whenua, as the Treaty partner, in relation
to GM and its implications. The Alliance will ensure that full consultation with Maori over the development of policies
and protocols related to the development of genetic modification takes place.
The Alliance will also establish a Bioethics Council, on which tangata whenua are represented, to consider cultural and
ethical matters, and ensure that recommendations made by the Council are binding on the approval process.
Food
The Alliance recognises that GMOs have already entered the food chain in other countries and therefore that the food we
import is already contaminated. We support a government-led process to ensure that GM food is labelled. We also support
the development and promotion of a ‘GE free’ label for food producers who wish to distinguish their products.
ends