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| Ian Gilfillan Australian Democrats Member of the Legislative Council |
Primary Industry News | |
| GMO News |
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| Ian Gilfillan Australian Democrats Member of the Legislative Council |
Primary Industry News | |
| GMO News |
16th August 2001
KERIN FINALLY CATCHES ON?
Ian Gilfillan has welcomed Minister Kerin’s decision calling for national debate on GM foods but has questioned the Ministers impartiality and his desire to restrict the scope of the debate.
"It is refreshing to suddenly hear the Minister recognise that the issue of GM foods is important and needs open debate, that debate must also include the international marketing of GM free foods," said Ian Gilfillan, Australian Democrats Shadow Minister for Primary Industries and Consumer Affairs.
"The challenge for Kerin here, is to remain genuinely open in the debate and prove that he is not the champion of the Pro-GM lobby that he appears to be.
Three questions that must be raised by the debate are:
International Marketing
"We need to be able to successfully sell our GM free crops to international markets. The role of the government in assisting this must be a key part of the national debate.
"To GM or not to GM?" is that really the question?
"Kerin’s national debate to decide whether we go down the GM path or not needs go further to explore how GM and GM Free crops can coexist. The question is not simply ‘to GM of not to GM’, that reflects the old thinking where a black and white decisions that will effect each of us, can be made at a national level,"
"The real decision will be made by farmers on the land and by consumers when they are choosing their food in the shopping centres of the world. Our aim is to ensure that those choices are recognised. Those who chose to grow GM free crops are free to do so, and those who grow Pro-GM crops must not infringe on the choice of others not too.
GM Free Zones, who pays?
"Kerin has highlighted that the costs of establishing GM free zones may be prohibitive, this is not true. However the cost of setting up effective segregation infrastructure would be significant.
"Why is the assumption that this cost would have to be borne by those producers choosing to grow GM free crops. GM free is the status quo, Pro-GM is the exception. We currently have a State that is essentially GM free, surely the predominant costs of segregation should fall on those growing Pro-GM crops.
"The Minister’s admission about the need for debate on GM foods reinforces the need for my Bill to be passed by Parliament and the establishment of a temporary prohibition on the release of GM crops, this must includes crop trials which are a risk to our GM free status," said Mr Gilfillan.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Ian Gilfillan
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