Biotenz Calls On Government To Reject Calls To Exclude Opportunities

Biotenz calls on Government to reject calls to exclude opportunities The future of the New Zealand knowledge economy is going to be significantly affected by the decisions the Government makes on the outcome of the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification, Bill Falconer, the newly elected Chairman of the New Zealand biotechnology industry organisation, Biotenz, said today.

“If New Zealand wishes to remain competitive in its overseas markets it must, as the Royal Commission has said, preserve its options. To do this we must find ways for all our agricultural production methods to co-exist. We must take the best of all worlds and retain the greatest diversity we can. Preserving options cannot mean cutting off access to new technologies in favour of older technologies.

“Our science based biological industries, which are the core of the New Zealand economy, must have the latest technologies available to gain the greatest economic benefit.

“The Government established the Royal Commission to examine the important issues. The Royal Commission has set out a very clear case-by-case assessment process, which enhances the existing regulatory structure, which will ensure all the issues are examined before any commercial release. Our regulatory structure is already acknowledged as the most rigorous in the world.

“Any additional hurdles are superfluous and will only result in accelerating the number of scientists who leave New Zealand to pursue their careers. This outcome is directly opposed to the key issue identified by the Knowledge Wave Conference, that is, to bring New Zealand scientists back to New Zealand.

“Biotechnology holds one of the keys to New Zealand’s future prosperity and the Government’s ability to deliver social programmes. The Government must adopt the Royal Commission’s Report and move forward with caution,” concluded Mr Falconer.

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