"Labour will promote wholeheartedly legislation to require that all genetically modified foods are labelled," Labour spokesperson on research, science and technology Mark Peck said today.

Mr Peck was responding to the decision at conference of Australian and New Zealand health ministers last night to endorse labelling.

"Given the nearness of the elections - and the strong likelihood of a change in government - it will probably fall to Labour to implement the policy.

"Our commitment to the right of consumers to know what they are eating is absolute," Mr Peck said.

"Not only will we legislate to make labelling compulsory but we will also as a priority establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the whole genetic modification and genetic engineering area, including research and safety issues."

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