GM protesters end march

Greens co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons, who yesterday accepted a 55,000 signature petition calling for the genetic engineering moratorium to be extended, says she is heartened by continued opposition to GM release.

Her comments came after a protest march against the lifting of the GE moratorium ended at Parliament.

March spokesman Michael O'Donnell, from Hauraki, said about 24 protesters had left the Far North eight weeks ago and hundreds of people had joined them for part of the hikoi.

The marchers were not against genetic engineering outright, but they worried about the effect on native plants and the country as a whole.

The group spent an hour with Environment Minister Marian Hobbs explaining their position.

- NZPA