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

 

Organic Sector GE Rally At Parliament Grounds


Organic Sector GE Rally At Parliament Grounds

16th September 1pm

Today the Soil and Health Association of New Zealand is presenting all Members of Parliament in their morning mail a call on the Government to enshrine GE free production in law and reinstate the moratorium on GE release for another five years.

Representatives from New Zealand's main organic organisations, including Bio-Gro, the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association, OrganicFarmNZ and others are joining Soil & Health at a rally at Parliament today. The 62-year-old Soil & Health Association is one of the world's oldest organisations active in the promotion of organic growing and healthy living.

Organics, once a very small part of this country's production, has turned into a rapidly expanding primary production and value-added sector.

"Our livelihoods, natural environment and health are at stake," says Steffan Browning, co-chair of Soil & Health. "Systems adequate to prevent contamination by GE organisms are not in place. Neither are just liability regimes."

Today the Government is considering the NOOM (New Organisms and Other Matters) Bill, the nuts and bolts for the release of genetically engineered organisms into the environment. The proposed legislation will not give organic growers and the wider community the protection recommended by the Royal Commission's findings, according to Soil & Health. Studies recommended by the Commission ahead of GE release have not been completed.

Mr Browning said: "Evidence of the recent BERL report, showing serious effects on New Zealand's markets, appears to have been ignored. As continuing evidence mounts of the significant economic and environmental shortcomings of GE, reinstatement of the moratorium for five years will give New Zealand the opportunity to expand its clean green reputation."

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 The Government’s Smokefree Laws Debacle

The most charitable explanation for National’s behaviour over the smokefree legislation is that they have dutifully fulfilled the wishes of the Big Tobacco lobby and then cast around for excuses that might sell this health policy U-turn to the public. The less charitable view is that the government was being deliberately misleading. Are we to think Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is a fool or a liar? It seems rather early on in his term of office to be facing that unpleasant choice... 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.