Both sides ready to claim GE win

By FRANCESCA MOLD political reporter

Warring factions within the Government are both gearing up to claim victory when the decision on the future of genetic engineering in New Zealand is made this week.

For some time, Labour has pushed the line that the response to the $6.5 million Royal Commission on Genetic Modification would protect New Zealand without impeding scientific progress.

So it is expected to bill this week's decision as a lifting of the ban on field trials of genetically modified organisms, balanced by the introduction of much stricter conditions.

The commercial release of GE products will be banned for a further two years while more research is carried out.

But the junior coalition partner, the Alliance, and members of Labour's Maori caucus who are on the anti-GE side, will claim the decision creates a ban on field trials with a few exceptions.

Regardless of the semantics, giving field trials even some approval has upset the Government's political ally, the Green Party. They are angry at an alleged Government leak to Reuters indicating its decision would end the 16-month voluntary ban on new field trials.

Green co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said the party was disappointed to find Labour sources had revealed the Government's apparent decision when it thought the parties were still in discussions.

"This is clearly a decision designed to please the business community rather than the 62 per cent of New Zealanders who in the latest poll said they didn't want any field trials or GE outside the laboratory," she said.

The Green Party had not signed up to the package and would not give up the struggle for a GE-free future, she said.

"We have pushed the Government as far as we can. We have got some real changes and it's important we don't throw those away."

She said the Greens would not withdraw its support on confidence and supply at this stage.

"But that is not a vote of confidence in the package. Nothing is ever a blank cheque," said Ms Fitzsimons. "We want to see the details of the legislation."

Prime Minister Helen Clark said she would not debate the issue with the Greens through the media. She said her office had been liaising closely with the Green Party and there would be "no surprises" for them in the decision.

Helen Clark said the cabinet would discuss the GE issue today.

An announcement was expected to be made after caucus meetings tomorrow.

Helen Clark said there was an enormous amount of work going on behind the scenes and there was still some fine-tuning to be done. One of the issues still being considered was whether GE researchers should bear the liability for any damage caused by their experiments.

"The royal commission set out a range of issues which need a lot more work done on them," said Helen Clark.

"It was never the green light for commercial release. There were always issues to work through. The liability issue is one of them and it will take some time."

She said most people would see the decision as a practical outcome which ensured New Zealand kept up with the knowledge economy while preserving its options.


nzherald.co.nz/ge

Report of the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification

GE lessons from Britain

GE links

GE glossary