100% Pure USA Drive Towards New Zealand As A GE Nation
Governments phasing out of the winning 100% Pure New Zealand brand, while putting genetic engineering (GE) zealot Dr
William Rolleston as Chair of Innovation and also on the Science board of the new Ministry Of Science and Innovation, is
a clear sign that New Zealand's science and production is further headed down a GE track, rather than the clean green
100% Pure New Zealand trail according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ. (1)
"Last week's announcement that 100% Pure New Zealand is to be replaced by '100% Pure You,' although only weeks before
New Zealand had moved from 4th to 3rd strongest country brand in the world, indicates that Pure New Zealand has been
given the boot because Government is not prepared to put substance to the branding," said Soil & Health - Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning. (2)
In November, Tourism New Zealand's Chief Executive Kevin Bowler said it was great to see brand New Zealand continuing to
gain strength, especially in such a highly competitive international market.
"The consistency of the 100% Pure New Zealand campaign has kept New Zealand top of mind, and has made a promise that New
Zealand is continuing to keep." (3)
"Even then that promise was being broken by the Government, with significant commitment to genetic engineering and
dumbing down of brand New Zealand," said Mr Browning.
"Whether it be the dwindling support for sustainable organic production, or Government's recent $10 million support for
Crown Researcher Scion and its USA partner ArborGen's GE trees experiments, and significantly more for AgResearch and
its USA partner, GTC Biotherapeutics, cruel GE animal experiments, the current Government vision has little that is pure
about it."
"New Zealanders are proud of our clean green 100% Pure New Zealand brand, and just as we are proud of our nuclear free
status, most New Zealanders and our overseas customers have shown in polls to be opposed to genetic engineering in our
environment and production."
"Inserting Dr Rolleston and other GE proponents into key science funding and policy roles, is a clear statement that
this government is a GE government," said Mr Browning.
"The Government is intent of removing any semblance of independence in the Environmental Risk Management Authority
(ERMA) , currently tasked with decisions on GE applications. By ensuring the emerging Environmental Protection Authority
(EPA), will 'put effect' to Government policy rather than the previous 'have regard to,' another sinister element is
added to New Zealand's future GE status." (4)
"For an EPA to be effective, it must be as independent as possible, and policy for a clean green 100% Pure vision for
New Zealand should be driven by those without the type of vested interests that Dr Rolleston and his Life Sciences
Network bring."
Continued United States pressure for the uptake of GE, as revealed by Wikileaks recently and Soil & Health - Organic NZ last year, appears to be coming through in Government action. (5,6)
2010 began with the USA's Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's Senior Science Advisor Nina Federoff visiting New Zealand
and promoting GE. At the same time, Terri Dunahay, a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) international GE policy
specialist, over several months, was promoting genetic engineering for New Zealand agriculture, while given a Fulbright
Scholarship seat in New Zealand's science policy agency, the Ministry of Research Science and Technology (MoRST).
"Dunahay was also given time at ERMA, with her final MoRST-USDA report on the issues affecting the uptake of GE forages
in New Zealand farming, suggesting that the New Zealand public should not be able to submit on GE field trial
applications and that some GE pollen release was necessary to test environmental effects."
"The November 4th Hillary Clinton and John Key's 'Wellington Declaration' signing then sealed intent on GE biofuels
collaboration and the current government's end to 100% Pure New Zealand," believes Mr Browning.
Soil & Health - Organic NZ campaigns against the release of genetically engineered organisms into the environment and food and
has a vision of an Organic 2020 in direct contrast to United States foreign policy.
Notes:
(1) http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/boards-key-science-and-innovation-success
(2) http://www.tourismnewzealand.com/news-and-features/news/tourism-new-zealand-unveils-100-percent-pure-you
(3) http://www.tourismnewzealand.com/news-and-features/news/new-zealand-third-strongest-brand
100% Pure New Zealand has been used to promote New Zealand as a tourism destination since 1999. Last November, New
Zealand was ranked the third strongest country brand in the world by FutureBrands Country Brand Index.
(4) http://www.mfe.govt.nz/news/2010-11-16-epa-bill-introduced.html
ERMA is currently an autonomous Crown entity, slightly more independent than a Crown
agent (the Minister can only require an autonomous Crown entity to have regard to, not give
effect to, government policy). As one of the government's objectives for resource
management reform is to provide for better central government direction, it is vital that the
chosen model allows for central government direction of the EPA. A Crown agent allows for
this relationship.
(5) http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1012/S00171/wikileak-das-reed-engages-on-tpp-un-env-fiji-apec.htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/03/wikileaks-us-eu-gm-crops
(SBU) When asked what the top local impediments will be to concluding an agreement, Sinclair noted a number of areas
sensitive to New Zealand. It is "no secret" that Monsanto does not like New Zealand's genetically modified organism
(GMO) regulations, Sinclair said.
(6) http://www.organicnz.org/soil-and-health-press/1235/government-support-for-ge-trees-contradicts-clean-green-image/
ENDS