Apec line on GE the 'way for NZ to go'

By AUDREY YOUNG and ANNE BESTON

New Zealand farmers yesterday jumped on the Apec leaders' endorsement of biotechnology as further reason for the Government to adopt a pro-GE policy.

Federated Farmers president Alistair Polson said the Apec leaders' reference to recognising the benefits of biotechnology was "a sensible conclusion".

The farmers are part of a move this week to present Prime Minister Helen Clark with an eminent persons' communique endorsing the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Genetic Modification findings.

The leaders' declaration at the Shanghai Apec summit included the following: "Recognising the benefits of biotechnology in improving productivity, increasing nutrition and reducing the environmental impact of agricultural production, we reaffirm the importance of safe introduction and use of biotechnology products based on sound science."

"It's exactly where the commission sat, and where New Zealand should sit," Mr Polson said.

"People around the world are taking a similar approach. It's not a whole-hearted, embracing-without-care approach. It's safe introduction, case by case."

The Labour-Alliance Government is due to respond to the commission's findings in the next week or so and is negotiating with the Greens on such issues as whether to pass a law extending the voluntary moratorium on field trials beyond October 31.

It is believed that fresh applications for field trials are ready to be submitted to the Environmental Risk Management Authority (Erma) on November 1.

The Green Party has threatened to withdraw its support for the minority Government if the outcome is too liberal for its liking. It wants all GE research kept to the laboratory.

Mr Polson said members of Federated Farmers were countering the Greens' pressure. Members wrote 4200 letters to MPs last week in their campaign to have the commission's findings accepted.

Federated Farmers also backed the eminent persons' communique, signed by notables including cook and author Alison Holst, and a string of knights: Sir Dryden Spring, Sir Gil Simpson, Sir John Scott, Sir Roderick Weir, Sir Ron Trotter, Sir Roy McKenzie, Sir Tipene O'Regan and Sir Wilson Whineray.

The communique urges the Government to "adopt the central conclusion of the royal commission, that we should preserve our opportunities to use these technologies as part of the blueprint to lift living standards for all New Zealanders through a knowledge-based economy.

"Further, we consider that the recommendations in the report reflect prudent and careful case-by- case assessment of the opportunities and risks of GM technology for New Zealand."

Meanwhile, events of the past week have forced National to modify its position. Last week it said it would back any moves in Parliament required to implement the commission's findings.

But that was before it looked like being defined as a confidence issue - by first the Greens, and then Acting Prime Minister Jim Anderton.

National leader Bill English said yesterday that the party would not support any GE-related parliamentary vote if it were a confidence issue.

"We are not there to prop up the Government."

Mr English said extending the moratorium, even by just a year, would be seen as "fudging the issue until after the election".

Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said there would be no backing down on GE.

Suggestions were made over the weekend that Green Party members were worried their MPs would soften.

But Ms Fitzsimons was adamant that would not happen. The party as a whole wanted GE experiments confined to the laboratory, she said.

Yesterday, 35 doctors signed a letter opposing GE and sent it to the Herald.

The letter urges the Government to impose a two-year ban on GE field trials, saying there is no convincing evidence that GE crops benefit consumers or farmers.

Full coverage: Apec 2001

Apec China 2001 official site

nzherald.co.nz/ge

Report of the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification

GE lessons from Britain

GE links

GE glossary