Sunday, 21 July 2002
Greenpeace Faking Ignorance Over GM Sweetcorn
Greenpeace New Zealand was informed of the results of GM testing of imported sweetcorn seed in 2001, says science
minister Pete Hodgson.
“Greenpeace has been protesting a ‘cover-up’ over GM sweetcorn when it was told the test results in May 2001,” said Mr
Hodgson, who released a copy of an email confirming this.
The email, from a government official to a Greenpeace staffer, is dated 10 May 2001 and explains the test results in
detail.
“Greenpeace will have a very hard time explaining how it can protest about a cover-up when it was freely given this
information,” Mr Hodgson said.
“If Greenpeace really thought there was a problem with this sweetcorn seed it could have raised it more than a year ago.
The fact that it has waited until now shows a breathtaking level of hypocrisy.
“Greenpeace was apparently satisfied in May last year that there was no cause for protest. Now that they can jump on the
conspiracy bandwagon they have decided to forget what they know and go for the cheap shots. New Zealanders should see
this for the dishonest grandstanding that it is.
“One wonders whether Greenpeace will now claim that they don’t remember receiving this information, in the way that
Jeanette Fitzsimons now struggles to recall being personally briefed.”
Ends