INDEPENDENT NEWS

Answers Wanted Over Suspected Hidden Agenda

Published: Mon 15 Apr 2002 03:20 PM
Answers Wanted Over Suspected Hidden Agenda As Human-Cow GE Application "Disappears"
GE-Free NZ supporters are demanding bureaucrats and government ministers explain why records relating to a major GE experiment have disappeared from the internet.
They are concerned that the sudden and secret withdrawal of an application for a major Genetic Engineering project signals a hidden agenda or political pressure to block public debate of the research.
The application has literally disappeared from the ERMA website, but existing hard-copies of the application reveal that it included disposing of GM animal waste by spraying waste over the fields, burying dead animals rather than incineration, and
selling meat from cows carrying the GE foetuses into the normal food chain.
ERMA have issued a memo that AgResearch has withdrawn its application GMD01194 and that ERMA will not take the application any further. ERMA’s methodology is also under review at present including its public consultation processes.
" It seems suspicious to suddenly have this application disappear. It has been notified and
submissions received. It is in the public interest that the issues be debated," said Jon Carapiet of GE-Free NZ ( In Food and Environment).
"We are demanding an explanation. ERMA and government officials need to show us that political pressure or a hidden agenda is not operating to avoid public debate of important questions."
It is especially suspicious as the Select Committee report on the HSNO amendment Bill now before parliament allowed the experiment an exemption to the new rules.
" The exemption allowed by the Select Committee must not be an excuse to avoid attempts at safety and containment protocols now being introduced. The whole
thing is so secretive that it is no wonder the concerned public smell a rat."
There is also concern that AgResearch has indicated that it may submit an application some time in the future for the same or similar to GMD01194.
"The public want to know the answer to the question - is this kind of experimentation good for New Zealand? And we need to know now" said Jon.
Ends

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