Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
License needed for work use Register

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

ERMA Withholds Public Information On G.E.

3 November 2001

ERMA Withholds Public Information On G.E. Experiments To Maori

The Mana Maori political party is concerned that the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) is withholding important information regarding GE experiments which could impact on public wellbeing. The issue was highlighted when members of Mana Maori and Nga Wahine Tiaki o te Ao, participated in Wednesday¹s peaceful occupation of the ERMA office in Wellington.

The group requested that staff hand over information listing all G.E. experiments already approved by the authority. The list they received summarised information for only 166 out of 683 applications that have been approved to date. "It¹s obvious that GE is operating in an environment of secrecy, and it is also obvious that the Treaty of Waitangi is being violated daily," said Angeline Greensill. Twenty-two of the applications listed tampered with native flora and fauna. There is no indication that tangata whenua have had any input whatsoever.

"As the Crown¹s treaty partner, every application approved in this country and should be done so in full negotiation with tangata whenua," said Ken Mair. "The information received indicated that ERMA has rubber stamped applications bringing into question their competence as a risk management authority."

Mana Maori will continue to pressure the Crown on this matter and call upon tangata whenua and other concerned citizens to do likewise. This is not only an environmental issue, it is a public health issue. The people have a right to access information so that they know what¹s happening in their own backyards.

For more information and contact numbers:

Angeline Greensill: Ph: 7 8384466 ext 8413 Fax: 7 8384366 Email: ngahina@waikato.ac.nz

Ken Mair: Phone 021 508299


Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines

Gordon Campbell: On How Climate Change Threatens Cricket‘s Future

Well that didn’t last long, did it? Mere days after taking on what he called the “awesome responsibility” of being Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon has started blaming everyone else and complaining that he's inherited “economic vandalism on an unprecedented scale” - which is how most of us would describe his own coalition agreements, 100-Day Plan, and backdated $3 billion handout to landlords... More


 
 
Public Housing Futures: Christmas Comes Early For Landlords

New CTU analysis of the National & ACT coalition agreement has shown the cost of returning interest deductibility to landlords is an extra $900M on top of National’s original proposal. This is because it is going to be implemented earlier and faster, including retrospective rebates from April 2023. More


Green Party: Petition To Save Oil & Gas Ban

“The new Government’s plan to expand oil and gas exploration is as dangerous as it is unscientific. Whatever you think about the new government, there is simply no mandate to trash the climate. We need to come together to stop them,” says James Shaw. More

PSA: MFAT Must Reverse Decision To Remove Te Reo

MFAT's decision to remove te reo from correspondence before new Ministers are sworn in risks undermining the important progress the public sector has made in honouring te Tiriti. "We are very disappointed in what is a backward decision - it simply seems to be a Ministry bowing to the racist rhetoric we heard on the election campaign trail," says Marcia Puru. More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.