Govt Set to Cost $Billions with GM Dithering

Friday, September 14 2001 Gerry Eckhoff Press Releases -- Rural

The Government is going to cost New Zealand billions of dollars by denying the opportunity to have GM field trials conducted here and forcing science overseas, ACT Environment Spokesman Gerry Eckhoff said.

He was reacting to news from New Zealand diary giant Fonterra that it may move its research operations offshore if there is any extension on the moratorium on GM field trials.

"This Government, crammed with academics divorced from reality, has no capacity and no individual with the experience for making business decisions. Its lack of practical experience has been hugely exposed through issues such as the Air New Zealand debacle.

"In that case the Government effectively sealed the fate of Ansett by its indecision. Indecision is as lethal to business as a poor decision. Now the Government is sitting on the Royal Commission on GM report, being reduced to a state of inertia by the constant attacks of the hysterical Greens.

"The Greens want a science-free New Zealand and that, by its dithering, is what this Government is likely to deliver as our best scientific minds head offshore, taking the knowledge with them essential for the billion dollar, biotechnology-based industries New Zealand has to develop.

"It is an absolutely appalling situation that the Government is apparently incapable of making the tough decisions that will determine the future of agriculture and science in this country.

"It is Government by neglect.

"Unless this Government finds the capacity to act decisively the opportunities available along with the so-called knowledge wave will pass by this country," Gerry Eckhoff said

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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