GMO views to be aired

Sent: Tuesday, 7 April 2009 9:20 a.m.

Media Release

7 APRIL 2009

GMO views to be aired

Auckland and Northland communities will have an opportunity to air their views on genetic engineering (GE) and how Auckland and Northland councils should deal with field trials and/or commercial releases of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Staff from seven councils on the Inter-council Working Party on GMO Risk Evaluation and Management Options met on Friday 3 April to discuss community consultation, including a telephone poll intended to gauge public opinion on the release of GMOs to the environment.

Councils on the Working Party include Far North, Whangarei, Kaipara, and Rodney District Councils, Waitakere City Council, and Auckland and Northland Regional Councils. All except the NRC have agreed to participate in, and jointly fund, the consultation exercise.

Chairperson of the Inter-council Working Party, Dr Kerry Grundy, said the telephone poll will ask people if they prefer the status quo - regulation by central government under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act - or additional regulation at a local or regional level by local authorities under the Resource Management Act.
If people support additional local or regional regulation, they will be asked whether they prefer prohibiting some or all GMOs in the environment, requiring resource consent for some or all GMO land uses, and/or a requirement to post a bond to cover possible damages to the environment or neighbouring land users.

Dr Grundy said two major reports commissioned by the Working Party have identified a range of risks involved with the trialling and release of GMOs.

These include environmental risks, such as GMOs becoming invasive and affecting non-target species including indigenous flora and fauna or the development of herbicide or pesticide resistance creating 'super-weeds' or 'super-pests', and long term effects on ecosystem functioning.

There are socio-cultural risks, such as effects on Maori cultural beliefs of whakapapa, mauri, tikanga, ethical concerns about mixing genes from different species including human genes, and concerns about the long term safety of genetically engineered food.

Lastly, there are economic risks, such as loss of income through contamination (or perceived contamination) of non-GMO food products, negative effects on marketing and branding opportunities such as 'clean and green' or 'naturally Northland', and costs associated with environmental damage such as clean-up costs for invasive weeds or pests.

Against these risks, the reports found significant deficiencies in the national regulatory regime. A key gap is that there is no liability under HSNO for damages arising as a result of an activity carried out in accordance with an approval from the national regulator ERMA. There is also no requirement for applicants to prove financial fitness in case of damage and no requirement to post bonds to recover costs should damage occur. Therefore, costs arising from unexpected events and ineffective national regulation will fall on affected parties - neighbouring land users and local authorities.

"Given that the community ultimately carries the risk of this technology, the Working Party takes the view that the community should be consulted as to what level of risk it is prepared to carry. This is the reason for the consultation, including the poll - to let communities in Auckland and Northland decide for themselves what risks are acceptable and what they wish their councils to do to address those risks."

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