Ethical concerns related to Genetic Engineering will come under the spotlight at a church sponsored Symposium in Wellington on Friday 25 August.

Participants from around the country have registered for "Will the Enz Justify the Genes"; a one-day conference to create dialogue on ethical concerns sparked by the current Genetic Engineering debate.

The Symposium is part of the church contribution to the current GE investigations and is an initiative of the Capital City Forum, a regular host of topical events.

Churches are also collaborating on an Interchurch Commission on Genetic Engineering to front their submissions to the Royal Commission. The Interchurch Commission has succeeded in obtaining interested person status for the Royal Commission along with the Anglican Church, the Public Questions Committee and the Catholic Bishops.

The Symposium has a high-powered line-up of contributors including: Rev Dr. Joseph Bush currently Lecturer in Church and Society at Knox College and previously a teacher of biomedical ethics in the United States, Ms Georgina Roberts a Policy Analyst for Cultural Heritage and Indigenous Issues at Te Puni Kokiri, Dr. Helen Hughes a ex-Commissioner for the Environment Dr. Hugh Campbell Senior Lecturer in the School of Social Sciences at Otago University and well known for his work on Organics, Dr. Carolyn King from Waikato University who works on possum control and Dr. Warren Tate Head of the Biochemistry Dept, Otago University and Chair of the Biomedical Research Committee of the Health Research Council.

August 22, 2000

Contacts: Stephanie McIntyre, Anglican Social Justice Commission 04 384 624 or 025 248 5018

Richard Davis, Public Questions Committee 04 3818295 Kay Smith, Catholic Justice Peace and Development Office 04 496 1701

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