LSN GM Discussion : August 27, 2003

HART Bill criticised by Labour MP
Syngenta frustrates "Corngate" inquiry
National says "Corngate" a cover-up
Fed Farmers cast doubt on anti-GM bylaw
Select Committe hears from Forest Research
Europe's GM rules just trade barriers in drag
TV3 'clarifies' after misreporting Hardacre
Local councils investigate controls on GM
Pew Initiative issues updated GM fact sheet
Environment Minister's eating habits questioned
Environment Minister supports choice for GM food
Banana lab opens in Uganda

HART Bill criticised by Labour MP

Proposed legislation to deal with assisted human reproduction relies too heavily on ethics and the structure of current ethics committees is unsuitable to deal with problems, Labour MP Dianne Yates sa... More... http://www.lifesciencesnetwork.com/news-detail.asp?newsID=4592

Syngenta frustrates "Corngate" inquiry

A multinational company that politicians hope could provide the answer to whether Corngate seeds were contaminated is refusing to front up to an inquiry, the Dominion Post reports today.Syngenta m... More... http://www.lifesciencesnetwork.com/news-detail.asp?newsID=4591

National says "Corngate" a cover-up

National Party Environment spokesman Nick Smith says he has produced evidence which shows Helen Clark misled the public over the 'Corngate' scandal in the crucial lead-up to the last election."Hel... More... http://www.lifesciencesnetwork.com/news-detail.asp?newsID=4590

Fed Farmers cast doubt on anti-GM bylaw

History is against the Northland council hoping to introduce an anti-GM bylaw, says Federated Farmers Federated Farmers is casting doubt on the chances of a Northland council introducing a bylaw ban... More... http://www.lifesciencesnetwork.com/news-detail.asp?newsID=4589

Select Committe hears from Forest Research

If at all possible, most cases of genes from genetically modified plants being transferred to other organisms through soil would not matter because the genes used are natural anyway, Forest Research s... More... http://www.lifesciencesnetwork.com/news-detail.asp?newsID=4588

Europe's GM rules just trade barriers in drag

Once again we’ve been immersed in the sort of scandal which can only flare in the rarefied atmosphere generated by ignorance of GM. The presence of miniscule quantities of a tested and safe insecticid... More... http://www.lifesciencesnetwork.com/news-detail.asp?newsID=4587

TV3 'clarifies' after misreporting Hardacre

TV3 last night broadcast a 'clarification' of its report on Monday which claimed maize scientist, Dr Allan Hardacre, had told the committee he had advised the Government in November 2000 that the corn... More... http://www.lifesciencesnetwork.com/news-detail.asp?newsID=4586

Local councils investigate controls on GM

Local councils are exploring whether they can follow the lead of Australia's state governments and ban genetically modified crops in their areas reports the NZ Herald's environment writer, Anne Beston... More... http://www.lifesciencesnetwork.com/news-detail.asp?newsID=4585

Pew Initiative issues updated GM fact sheet

The Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology has updated its fact sheet on domestic use of GM crops to include the most recent statistics available on 2003 activity, to help clarify the extent to whic... More... http://www.lifesciencesnetwork.com/news-detail.asp?newsID=4584

Environment Minister's eating habits questioned

3. JEANETTE FITZSIMONS (Co-Leader—Green) to the Prime Minister: Does she have confidence in the Minister for the Environment following her reported statement 'Um, I don't know' in response to the New ... More... http://www.lifesciencesnetwork.com/news-detail.asp?newsID=4583

Environment Minister supports choice for GM food

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs says it is irrelevant whether she would eat genetically modified food."The simple fact is that any GM food on sale will have been judged safe and labelled so that... More... http://www.lifesciencesnetwork.com/news-detail.asp?newsID=4582

Banana lab opens in Uganda

A laboratory devoted to improving bananas through biotechnology will open today in Kampala, Uganda, writes Tom Clarke in the latest issue of Nature magazine. He says the facility should help to sa... More... http://www.lifesciencesnetwork.com/news-detail.asp?newsID=4581

From the LSN news team

Francis Wevers - Executive Director Christine Ross - Communications Assistant, Wellington

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