Community Support for High Court Challenge

10.6.03
GE Free NZ
Press Release

Community Support for High Court Challenge

GE Free (NZ) in food and environment fully support the MADGE legal case in the High Court challenging the approval of GE cows with a range of genes from other species. The MADGE case will help to clarify how the HSNO Act is to be applied in protecting New Zealand's environment, economy, and people's basic rights. To date no applications to ERMA have been turned down, yet no results have been published from current studies to prove that GMO final products are safe either in the laboratory or in the field.

For rigorous and proper science, the adage "until a study is published it is not science" needs to be kept in mind. ERMA allowed the GMO experiments to go ahead to forward scientific experience and expertise. Therefore, the results of the current GMO experiments must be peer reviewed and published before any new ones are approved.

"New Zealand has at least six GMO studies running over three years, with still another two years to run, before results into the risks of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and health of cloned animals, can be ascertained. Any new approval must wait until these have been published". said Claire Bleakley of GE Free (NZ)

It is time for the Government and CRI's to take stock of the current inadequacy of GE technology and identify how New Zealand's biotechnology sector can be better served by using other techniques that are ethical and do not disrupt the genome by insertion of foreign gene sequences, antibiotic marker genes, and viral/bacterial sections.

GE Free (NZ) is sad to hear about the tragic deaths of the Crop and Science managers. We extend our condolences to all their families.

END Contact Claire Bleakley (09) 817 7158 a/h

GE Free NZ In Food And Environment Inc. PO Box 693, Nelson gefree@ts.co.nz www.gefree.org.nz

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