Commission releases GE report

4:30 pm

The world's first Royal Commission of Inquiry on Genetic Modification has today recommended New Zealand manage the controversial technology carefully but not close itself off to the potential advantages it offers.

In their report, released this afternoon by Prime Minister Helen Clark, the four-person commission said New Zealanders would be unwise to pin themselves irretrievably to any one approach at this time, as this would limit future options.

The 1273-page report listed 49 recommendations.

It cleared the way for field trials of GE crops, recommending the Environmental Risk Management Authority be given a new way to approve releases of GE organisms.

"We are recommending a new category, conditional release, where the use of a genetically-modified organism can be made subject to terms and reporting back, as a further assurance of safety and to enhance the management of risk," the report said.

It called for applications for the release of a GE crop to be decided by Environment Minister Marian Hobbs.

It said unregulated use of genetic engineering would have involved unacceptable risk for human and environmental health, New Zealand's cultural heritage and export markets.

But it said the GE-free New Zealand sought by organic producers was "not economically viable" and was "impractical in light of all evidence".

It said non-GE options should also be maintained.

The commission proposed creating a Bioethics Council (Toi te Taiao), a Parliamentary Commissioner on Biotechnology, and a national biotechnology strategy.

The commissioner would be an independent body responsible for the general auditing of biotechnological applications and to promote public education about such technologies.

It said the Bioethics Council should be set up to debate issues such as the values held by Maori as the regulatory bodies that already existed "were not best equipped to address issues of this kind".

Miss Clark said the government would take about three months to consider the report's recommendations.

During its 14-month investigation, the commission was told about research in New Zealand on everything from genetically engineered pine trees to breeding cows that will have a synthetic human gene.

The commission held 15 public meetings, 11 hui, 29 workshops, one youth forum and 13 weeks of formal hearings where 107 interested persons gave their views.

It also waded through 10,000 public submissions and needed an extra month to deliver its report.

Full text of the report


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