GM: Is it too soon?

By SIMON COLLINS, ANNE BESTON and CATHERINE MASTERS

New Zealand opinion has swung heavily against releasing genetically modified organisms into the environment.

A nationwide Herald-DigiPoll survey of 801 people has found that 68.6 per cent want to extend the present three-year ban on releasing GMOs from containment, just two months before the ban is due to end on October 29.

Those who said commercial release of GMOs should be "banned for good" jumped from 23.2 per cent in June last year to 37.8 per cent in the latest poll.

Those willing to allow commercial release "under strict conditions" plunged from 66.7 per cent to 52 per cent.

Those who felt GM should be "exploited as much as practical" slipped slightly from 6.1 per cent to 5 per cent.

The poll was taken between August 12 and 17 and had a 3.5 per cent margin of error.

It coincides with a worldwide consumer backlash against GM food, with anti-GM sentiment in June ranging from 55 per cent in the United States to 89 per cent in France.

The Government is under intense pressure from exporters such as Zespri, which trade on New Zealand's "clean green" image in these markets, to extend the present GM ban, at least for food.

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs said yesterday that if GM crop breeder Monsanto "comes down to New Zealand and says we want to do a full release, I don't think they have got a hope in hell of being able to get that".

But she said a conditional release of genetically modified pine trees "might go ahead". "It ain't food," she said.

Five Australian states have imposed bans of one to five years to stop planting of GM canola - effectively drawing a line against GM food, even though GM cotton is already grown widely in several states.

But New Zealand exporters such as the dairy giant Fonterra and forestry processor Carter Holt Harvey, want the GM ban to end in October as planned.

NZ First MP Brian Donnelly, who chairs Parliament's education and science committee which is considering the terms for "conditional release" of GMOs after October, will tell the NZ First caucus on Tuesday that it should consider extending the GM ban for food and crops.

He expressed "real concerns" about whether the Environmental Risk Management Authority (Erma) "is in a position to make the economic judgments that they will have to make".

The authority's 60 staff have expertise on environmental risks, but the agency has no economists or experts on international markets.

Ms Hobbs said yesterday that Erma would get an extra $196,000 this year to implement recommendations made in a recent review, plus $56,000 to strengthen its ability to assess the economic effects of GM releases by October.

It expects two applications for conditional releases of GMOs in the year to next June.

Some of Labour's Maori MPs, already angry with the Government's decision not to allow Maori title to the foreshore and seabed, are passionately opposed to mixing genes from different species.

Maori caucus chairman Mita Ririnui said the issue was one of three priorities for Maori, along with the foreshore and Treaty of Waitangi settlements.

The Maori caucus will debate its stance on the GM ban on Tuesday night.

But Small Business Minister John Tamihere said genetically modified foods were being developed overseas and New Zealand could not "build a moat around us that will protect us".

"The so-called 'cautious approach', which we are crunching through Cabinet at the moment, will put enough safeguards in place to allow me to say I think we should proceed," he said.

At the very least, the Government seems likely to amend the bill on conditional release to require Erma to consider the potential wider economic costs as well as the economic benefits of GM releases.

The amended bill is also likely to clarify the powers of city and district councils to create GM-free zones near organic farms, natural reserves and other areas that may be at risk.

Waitakere and Nelson have already declared themselves GE-free and Rodney has declared that it is organic-friendly.

However, National party environment spokesman Dr Nick Smith said the National caucus had invited Zespri and the Sustainability Council to put their case against GM, but was not convinced.

"We have looked at, for example, Australia. Has there been an adverse impact on their non-GE products from the fact that they grow GE cotton?" he said. "The answer is no."

Act and United Future also support ending the GM ban in October, leaving the Greens as the only party clearly opposed.

The two Progressive MPs, like NZ First, have yet to decide.