Bill English National Finance Spokesman

14 September 2001

Govt should listen to business concerns over GE moratorium

When the country's biggest export earner speaks out on genetic engineering the Government should be listening, National's Finance spokesman Bill English said today.

Helen Clark has signalled that the Government will move to a long-term ban on genetic modification without any public debate.

"Fonterra is rightly alarmed that the economic cost of this decision has not been considered at all. Many other businesses based on biological production share that concern," Mr English said.

"New Zealanders want to be able to make choices but we should be making those choices with full information. National is listening to concerns about the risks, but unlike the Government we also want to understand the economic costs to New Zealand.

"I welcome the contribution Fonterra is making to the debate. They represent over 20% of all New Zealand exports. They are huge employers and investors in our communities. Helen Clark should listen," Bill English said.

Ends

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>