Heirloom gardeners outline GE risk to seeds

By ANNE BESTON environment reporter

A group of pipe-playing gardeners bearing flax baskets has urged the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification to ban gene experiments before it is too late.

Northland gardener Kay Baxter, a founding member of Koanga Gardens near Kaiwaka, said genetic engineering could contaminate some of the more than 400 "heirloom" seeds she had spent 10 years propagating.

"For many of us, the advent of GE feels like the final straw," she said.

"We don't trust industry not to be naive and uncaring in their use of genetic engineering."

The plea came during yesterday's first Auckland visit by the four-member commission after three weeks of hearings in Wellington.

It has been asked by the Government to investigate where New Zealand should stand on gene technology.

The commission must deliver its report by the middle of next year.

The Northland Conservation Board also spoke against gene tampering.

Board member and Tai Tokerau kaumatua Hally Toia said genetic engineering was "the domain of one being only, and that's God."

But most of the day was taken up by a marathon grilling of the long-time anti-genetic engineering scientist Dr Peter Wills, of Auckland University.

He was representing an array of groups, including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the Green Party.

Dr Wills, an associate physics professor, was cross-examined for more than three hours by lawyer Mark Christensen, representing the pro-GE Life Sciences Network.

Dr Wills said the outbreak of human mad cow disease, or vCJD, in Britain was an example of what could happen when humans tampered with the natural order of things.

"It's a concern of mine and many other scientists - the possibility of creating something of that sort as a result of GE."

Dr Wills said science could not be separated from other human values and cultural beliefs, but these were being lost in the debate on genetic engineering.

Under cross-examination by Mr Christensen, Dr Wills denied that his stand on gene technology was part of a wider political ideology.

"With GE we have a completely new situation and we have to rethink what our moral stand will be," he said.

"I'm not saying it's an absolute no-no, but let's think the ethical issues through carefully before we go launching into this holus-bolus."

The commission will hold public meetings in Manukau today and Ellerslie tomorrow, before returning to Wellington.

Herald Online feature: the GE debate

GE lessons from Britain

GE links

GE glossary