WIRES:

Green Party gets it all wrong

Wednesday, 21 February 2001, 5:40 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Life Sciences Network

MEDIA RELEASE
Green Party gets it all wrong

The Green Party and its leader, Jeanette Fitzsimons, have obviously misunderstood the gravity of the error made by Dr Elaine Ingham in the evidence she presented on their behalf, the Chairman of the NZ Life Sciences Network, Dr William Rolleston, said today.

“To make an error about the end of all terrestrial plant life is not some ‘minor glitch’. This is the expert witness presented by the Green Party to substantiate its claims of the horrendous consequences if even the tiniest GM organism was to be released into the environment.

“The Green Party should now acknowledge to the Royal Commission that one of the major planks of its evidence has fallen through the floor and its assertions about the consequences of field trials of GM plants can’t be substantiated.

“If the Green Party was acting honourably and to the same ethical standards as they expect from others they would apologise for having misled the Royal Commission and the public,” concluded Dr Rolleston.

For further information, contact:

Dr William Rolleston Francis Wevers

Chairman Executive Director

Phone 03 612 6688 Phone 04 916 0100

Mobile 025 246 0634 Mobile 021 916010

Date: Tuesday, 20 February 2001

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