Hard won agreement shouldn’t be thrown away
Annette King
MP for
Rongotai
Health Spokesperson
MEDIA STATEMENT
24 August 2016
Hard won agreement shouldn’t be thrown away
The Government should ignore talk
across the Tasman about doing away with the labelling of GM
free products, says Labour’s Health spokesperson Annette
King.
“Labelling of genetically modified products was a
hard won agreement in 2001 by Australian and the New Zealand
ministers of health as members of Food Standards Australia
New Zealand FSANZ (previously known as ANZFA).
“That agreement gave consumers’ confidence and the knowledge that they are buying food that has not been genetically modified.
“Talk by the Australian Productivity Commission about doing away with this protection goes to the heart of the consumer’s right to know.
“I support GE Free New Zealand writing to the Australian Government questioning the stance of the Commission which is consulting on the status of labelling in the Trans-Tasman agreement.
“The Australian Productivity Commission has also recommended that State and Territory Governments should repeal any moratoriums on GM and their right to designate GM free zones.
“New Zealand has to stand firm on this and not allow any erosion of our rights under the Trans-Tasman rules. New Zealanders want more labelling not less,” says Annette King.
ENDS