Greens given GM warning

By VERNON SMALL deputy political editor

The Green Party has given unanimous support to a tough line on genetic modification, but its stance has drawn a top-level union warning that the party may be undermining prospects for future centre-left Governments.

As expected, delegates at the party's annual conference in Auckland voted to bring down the next Government if it lifted a moratorium on the commercial release of GM organisms, due to expire in October next year.

Co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said the decision was, "on our present state of knowledge, forever".

But science could change and the decision to bring down the Government, if it lifted the ban, applied to the next three-year term.

At a workshop she urged conference-goers to lead Labour down the middle path because the party was afraid of big businesses such as dairy giant Fonterra.

The Green approach to GM organisms was a moderate one but it was impossible to have a "cautious release".

Delegates quickly rejected a suggested compromise that would have backed a moratorium until the party was satisfied that GM had been proved safe.

The unanimous vote was greeted with chants of "GE free" from the 230 Greens packed into the University of Auckland's Waipapa Marae.

But Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson told them later that he was concerned at the impact of their move on the political landscape.

"Yes, it may be seen historically as the catalyst for a transformation of New Zealand politics and a watershed for the greening of New Zealand Governments.

"But it may also be seen in retrospect as the catalyst for a political shift back to the right, seeking stability that centre-left parties are seen as being unable to provide."

Mr Wilson's was the first speech by a Council of Trade Unions president to a Green annual conference.

He said genetic modification was of vital interest to union members, but politics was about compromise. Absolute positions rarely prevailed.

Delegates also gave unanimous support for talks on a possible coalition with Labour if the Greens win the balance of power at the election.

The Greens' grassroots have been wary of entering a coalition with Labour. An informal vote at last year's conference overwhelmingly opposed the idea.

But delegates on Saturday voted to enter talks after assurances from Ms Fitzsimons and co-leader Rod Donald that the move would only "leave the door open"' to a coalition.

Ms Fitzsimons said the Greens would not seek a coalition if Labour won a majority of seats.

"We could get nothing out of it."

The Greens also left the door open to a deal short of a full coalition, such as agreement on specific policies and spending in exchange for support on confidence and money supply votes.

Work would begin straight after the conference on the make-up of a negotiating team and a 10-member consultation group drawn from party members.

Ms Fitzsimons said negotiations would probably take four weeks. She said the public would punish the party if it allowed a 10-week hiatus like the one in 1996 as National and New Zealand First hammered out a coalition deal.

The conference resolved to tentatively schedule a special conference four weeks after the election to ratify any deal.

A reference to the Treaty of Waitangi was inserted in the party's charter after vigorous opposition from a small group of delegates. Officials said the move was largely symbolic and the party had yet to finalise its treaty policy.

A closed workshop today will discuss the election campaign and coalition agreements. The three-day conference ends this afternoon with a trip to Bastion Point.

nzherald.co.nz/ge

GE links

GE glossary