No U-turn for Northland Regional Council's controversial GMO position ahead of court appeal

A protest against GMO outside the Northland Regional Council building on Water St. Photo / File

Northland Regional Council won't change its stance on the management of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in its proposed regional plan, currently subject to appeals before the Environment Court.

After revealing little about their GMO position, the newly-elected council has announced it would "take a back seat" and not be offering any evidence in the upcoming appeal.

Council chief executive Malcolm Nicolson said the new council had carefully considered its position against its predecessor's decision not to include GMO provisions in the proposed regional plan.

"The current council respects the process that was followed by the previous council in making its formal decision on the GMO issue on July 16 last year, and as a result it does not intend to change its position," Nicolson said.

"However, the council is conscious that the inclusion (or not) of GMO provisions in the proposed regional plan is an issue with a high level of public interest and that parties on both sides have strong views, and will therefore not actively participate in the upcoming court process."

Council chief executive Malcolm Nicolson. The council was conscious that the GMO issue attracted a high level of public interest. Photo / File

Nicolson said given the fact that council's official position on GMOs had not changed, a new vote had not been required by councillors.

The Environment Court said there will be confidential mandatory court-ordered mediation; likely to be scheduled for next month.

The mediation will be a crucial first step in an appeal process that will eventually decide whether provisions on the management of GMOs are included in the proposed regional plan, which is effectively the rulebook for the way Northland's water, air, soil and coast is managed.

If no agreement can be reached during the upcoming mediation, the matter would then advance to a formal Environment Court hearing, probably later this year.

Nicolson said the previous council's decision was the culmination of a "long, considered process with councillors hearing and taking into account expert scientific evidence and feedback from more than 80 submissions over several years".

The Whangārei District Council was one of 82 submitters last year calling for the regional council to stick to the initially proposed regional plan's precautionary measures against letting GMO material into Northland, and is now amongst the parties appealing their decision.

NRC councillor Marty Robinson has stood aside from any council discussion on the GMO as he had personally joined the appeal on the GMO decision last year. Photo / John Stone

New regional councillor Marty Robinson had personally joined the appeal on the decision not to include GMO provisions in the proposed regional plan before his election to council.

"Since his election, councillor Robinson has stood aside from any council discussion on the GMO issue due to his involvement with GE Free Northland, his involvement as a party to Environment Court appeal proceedings and the associated conflict of interest that arises with his role as a regional councillor," Nicolson said.