Only days after 10,000 people walk for GE Free New Zealand, yet another public petition to Marian Hobbs.

Ge Free New Zealand in Food and Environment today met with Marian Hobbs to present a petition signed by over 11,000 people calling for the food and environment of New Zealand to be free of genetic engineering. Drawing the line at the laboratory door they are asking for NO testing or releases of genetic engineering into the environment and for NO food to be imported into the country.

It has been proven that new technologies have unidentified risks, genetic engineering is no exception and any use in our environment will be irreversible, the insurance industry has refused to insure the risks leaving the public to carry any liability.

‘Genetic technology is not tested, not needed, and not wanted, as has been proven time and time again over the past months and years in New Zealand.,’said Susie Lees of GE Free New Zealand. ‘The government needs the mandate of the people if it is to continue with the utilisation of genetic technology and its manipulated products.’

Genetically engineered foods have been foisted on an unsuspecting public for the last 4 years, unlabelled. Incorporated into at least 70% of processed foods, several GE foods without full approval, the effects on health have not been identified, since there are merely a handful of studies, scientifically peer reviewed, around the world. The Ministry of Health will also be approached for a response.

.The US has allowed 30,000 tests of GE organisms and now has both food supply and environment contaminated by a GE product Starlink corn which has never been approved for human consumption. Round Up Ready soy has now been found to have unidentified DNA causing the EU to readdress their systems governing GE foods.

Our quality agricultural exports and clean green image last week valued at millions of dollars this is also at risk. GE Free New Zealand are happy to see that this has been recognised both by the Ministry of the Environment and the Alliance Party.

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>>