17 April 2000
Green timeline on GE Royal Commission

August 1998 - Green co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons begins a nation-wide speaking tour on genetic engineering. Completes over 60 public meetings from Invercargill to Whangarei, speaking to crowds of up to 400 people. Tour runs until election.

October 1998 - Green Party first begin calls for Royal Commission of Inquiry and accompanying moratorium into genetic engineering in New Zealand.

February 1999 - Green Party launch GE free zone campaign with letterbox stickers so individual homes and businesses can declare themselves GE free.

1 March 1999 - Ms Fitzsimons launches petition calling for Royal Commission and moratorium.

Throughout 1999 - Release information to the public about field trials and their government funding. Research and publish lists of genetic engineering free food. Research and produce two print runs of a leaflet explaining the concerns with genetic engineering and referring people to further information.

October 1999 - Present Green Party petition on Royal Commission and moratorium to Parliament with 92,000 signatures. This petition is currently before the Health Select Committee.

December 1999 - Meet with Labour Party and list Royal Commission and moratorium as one of the key short term issues requiring immediate progress.

January 2000 - Give Green Party's proposed terms of reference to the Government. (Proposed terms of reference attached).

February - March 2000 - Conduct ongoing discussions with the Government over terms of reference, membership of panel and moratorium. Conduct Royal Commission discussions with Minister for Environment and Prime Minister; and moratorium negotiations with Minister of Science and Technology.

March 2000 - Give suggested membership for Royal Commission panel to the Government.

April 6, 2000 - Green Party submit private members bill – Genetic Engineering Moratorium - to Parliament to prevent new approvals of genetic engineering field trials. Leave to introduce it on last sitting day before the announcement was due to be made was denied.

April 17, 2000 - Royal Commission of Inquiry and 'moratorium' announced. Green Party satisfied with inquiry, membership and moratorium on release of genetically engineered organisms; very disappointed with lack of moratorium on field trials.

Jonathan Hill (press secretary): 04 470 6719, 021 110 1133

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