Press Release:
Wellington Anti-GE Action
Date: March 24, 2004

At 11:00 today, 25 anti-GE activists delivered submissions of fresh bread to the Food Standards Authority of Australia and New Zealand to oppose the application by Monsanto to use genetically engineered wheat in New Zealand food. The bread was not accepted as a submission as the Authority said it could not be sent to Australia where the final decision is made.

‘This just highlights the fact that New Zealand has lost control over important decisions about what we eat. These decisions are made in Australia ’ Said spokeswoman Lenka Rochford.

‘The Food Standards Authority has refused to publish scientific documents relating to the application on the internet. Only people in Wellington who can pay for photocopying of a large quantity of data have access to this vital information. This is not consultation, it is a whitewash.’

‘GE wheat has not been approved anywhere in the world. New Zealanders are not guinea pigs for biotech companies. We don’t want genetically engineered food and we should be able to make that decision regardless of what Australia is doing.’

Submissions can be made on the Food Standards website http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/.

The submissions close on March 31

Photographs by Cameron Burnell

ENDS

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