Anderton’s Stance Shows Importance of GM Food Restraint
The Progressive Coalition’s decision to vote against the NOOM Bill demonstrates the importance of legal restraints on
the growing of GM food said Sustainability Council Executive Director Simon Terry. The Progressives sought a change to
include a restraint and determined to vote against the bill when this was not accepted.
As the Minister of Economic Development and the minister responsible for Government’s assistance programme for
biotechnology, Jim Anderton would not have voted against this bill unless he was convinced there were real concerns the
bill had failed to address.
Food exporters such as Zespri, Freshco, and ENZAFOODS have stressed the marketing risks that growing GM food would pose
for conventional food producers and New Zealand’s clean green brand. Against this, there appear to be no significant
gains to be made in the next five years from GM food production as the varieties are not suited to New Zealand
conditions.
Jim Anderton has provided the ultimate demonstration that support for biotechnology and ongoing GM research is entirely
consistent with holding back production of GM foods due to a lack of market acceptance.
The Progressive’s have recognised that the strength of market rejection of GM food has the potential to significantly
impact on Brand New Zealand and that a legal restraint is preferable to an environmental regulator having to assess such
threats.
Parliament will have a further opportunity to put in place a legal restraint on the growing of GM foods when New Zealand
First brings forward a private members bill for this purpose.