Fitzsimons plays wait and see on GM report

By HELEN TUNNAH and VERNON SMALL

Green leader Jeanette Fitzsimons is reserving her judgment on whether GM-contaminated corn was grown in New Zealand, as claimed in a controversial book released this week.

Ms Fitzsimons told the Herald she wanted to see all documentation before deciding if GM corn had been planted and harvested.

She had said earlier that she was stunned by the allegations in Seeds of Distrust, written by activist Nicky Hager.

"I am deeply distressed that the Prime Minister apparently decided to let this contaminated crop be grown, harvested, eaten and possibly exported in 2000/2001, and that the Government participated in efforts to keep the truth from the public."

Official documentation detailing events around the testing of a batch of corn seed 20 months ago was released by the Government last night.

Ms Fitzsimons said yesterday that she could not say if she believed GM-contaminated corn had been grown.

"I'm reserving my opinion on that until I've seen the papers because it seems to be quite confused."

She said many questions were unanswered.

"While the question of the tests and what they showed and didn't show and whether there was GE corn actually planted or not, while that is very important, it is probably even more important to look at whether Government processes were adequate."

She said she did not believe Helen Clark could yet make a categorical statement that no GM corn had been planted.

The release of the book, published by a company owned by Green list candidate Craig Potton, was kept secret, which led Helen Clark to suggest it was part of a Green election conspiracy.

The party leadership has denied knowing about the book in advance, but Ms Fitzsimons confirmed yesterday that she had asked one of her own staff members if he had known about Hager's book.

Paul Bensemann, a former journalist and press secretary for the Green Party who now works for Ms Fitzsimons in the Coromandel, worked with Hager on a previous book, Secret Power.

When Mr Potton was first named as a list candidate before the 1999 election, Mr Bensemann had issued a statement praising his courage in publishing Secret Power.

"Paul knew absolutely nothing about it [Seeds of Distrust]. I did ask him that," Ms Fitzsimons said.

Ms Fitzsimons said she understood why Mr Potton, who is overseas, had not told her about the book.

"His duty as a publisher was to his author and the cause they were trying to serve, and not to the Green Party."

She said it would have been "jolly convenient" to have been given an advance copy, but she understood it was sensible management to give some key media people the book to secure publicity and avoid gagging injunctions.

Ms Fitzsimons, who has been at loggerheads with Helen Clark over the controversy this week, offered the Prime Minister some sympathy yesterday, saying a TV3 interview with John Campbell may not have been fair.

"It was pretty tough on the Prime Minister to expect her to remember the details."

Helen Clark has accused Campbell of unethical journalism by not warning her that she would be questioned on the contents of Hager's book.

* Political opponents have denied responsibility for GM sweetcorn stickers pasted over Helen Clark's mouth on Labour billboards around Auckland.

Green Party co-leader Rod Donald said it was not his party.

"While I appreciate the humour ... there is an unwritten rule between political parties not to deface each other's political billboards. Otherwise it would be never-ending."

Alliance president Matt McCarten "absolutely denied" his party was involved. He doubted it was the Greens, and thought it more likely to have been independent anti-GM lobbyists.

Author Nicky Hager also denied any knowledge of the stickers.

"I have no idea who did it," he said. "It actually makes me feel uncomfortable because I want to debate the issues."

Helen Clark has suggested the stickers must have been prepared in advance.

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