Group claims gagging over genes appeal

The head of a Maori advisory group to the Environmental Risk Management Authority (Erma) has resigned, claiming his group was "gagged."

Former Maori Advisory Board chairman Gerrard Albert said the group, also known as Nga Kaihautu, was pressured into withdrawing from a High Court appeal against the authority's decision to allow human genes to be inserted into cows.

Erma told the group the present relationship would end if it participated in the appeal, Mr Albert said.

"They didn't say disestablishment in so many words, but it was very much clear to me and the other members of Nga Kaihautu that's what it meant.

"The relationship was obviously heading down the track whereby the authority wanted to gag and restrict Nga Kaihautu from providing independent advice.

"I can't and won't operate under such circumstances."

Mr Albert said he made his position clear in a resignation letter received by the authority last Friday.

Erma had not provided any formal reaction to the resignation, he said.

A spokesman for Erma said it was inappropriate for the authority to comment on the situation until the facts had been established.

"I guess they drove the hard line by saying Nga Kaihautu is not an independent group, it's part of Erma, because it's set up under the act as an advisory group to Erma," Mr Albert said.

"That's correct, but it still needs to provide advice from an independent position, and that's what we preserved in our memorandum of understanding."

The group was not opposed to the application to insert human genes into cows, but thought there should have been a more considered decision after better consultation, Mr Albert said.

The authority, made up of a group of "white, middle-class people with a couple of token Maoris involved," had decided the views held by Maori objecting to the decision were not widely held, he said.

"The unfortunate thing is, now that a decision has been made ... it will set a precedent.

"I'm pretty much sure the authority's decision will be confirmed by the High Court, because the appeal can only be brought on points of law, and what's under scrutiny here is the authority's treatment of the issue."

Mr Albert said he would like to see some political intervention to pull the authority into line, but suspected no such steps would be taken.

Green Party MP Sue Kedgley has also been critical of the development.

"This seems to be sending all the wrong signals at a time when Labour is making commitments to a genuine partnership with Maori," she said.

"Indeed, these developments may even constitute a breach of Erma's partnership obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi."

- NZPA

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