Genetic Engineering
The Green Party believes food should be produced in ways that are healthy to humans, environmentally friendly, respectful to workers and animals, and that benefit biodiversity. We have opposed the use of GE in the environment for 7 years, secured a moratorium until 2003 on the release of GE organisms and have worked in Parliament to improve legislation covering GE organisms. The Green Party remains committed to keeping the Aotearoa/New Zealand environment free of GE organisms - new information is constantly coming forward showing that the risks have been understated.
What's new
Unsafe food allegations point to massive breach of trust
10 Oct 2008The Green Party is calling for an independent review into the New Zealand Food Safety Authority’s decision-making processes following allegations the agency hushed-up its own report which questioned the safety of GE Corn variety MON863 for human consumption.
Forestry Policy - Supporting Sustainable Forests
06 Oct 2008Originally over 80 percent of New Zealand was covered in forest. Indiscriminate clearing of forest and conversion to farmland, together with the introduction of exotic animal and plant species has caused significant environmental degradation, with increased erosion, loss of biodiversity and more severe flooding in deforested catchments.
Forests also act as an important carbon sink and expanding the area of land in forest will help New Zealand meet its Kyoto commitments in the medium term. Wood products play an important role in replacing high-energy high carbon products such as steel and concrete.
How Safe Is Our Food?
Sue Kedgley gives a public talk on how safe our food is - includes all the major issues covered by the Greens' food policy, including food safety issues following free trade arrangements.
Shopping with Sue
An educational supermarket trip with Green MP Sue Kedgley: how to read and understand nutrition labelling; how to avoid purchasing foods that may contain genetically engineered ingredients; how to identify cruelty free products; how to purchase locally grown products; additives to avoid.
Phone Mick Buckley 434 0288 to register.
Genetic Engineering Links
Dangers Of Genetic Engineering - excellent resource from the Mothers for Natural Law who are campaigning for labelling in the US. They have done a lot of research on the food industry and offer tips to identifying brands.
GE-Free Food Guide - a“true food” guide from Greenpeace New Zealand, an excellent database of the GE status of food.
GE-Free NZ - coalition of activists around the country, with the full title of GE-Free New Zealand in food and environment (RAGE inc). Website has masses of news and resources.
Genetically Engineered Food - Are You Part of the Experiment? - Friends of the Earth UK's GM campaign pages featuring horrific Frankenstein crops!
Giant Experiment - latest national and international news on GE, including a fortnightly email newsletter you can subscribe to, actions around New Zealand and a "Council lobbying kit".
Greenpeace Genetic Engineering Pages - has many news stories and features from around the world, including lots of protests and direct action.
Selling Suicide - excellent report from Christian Aid on "farming, false promises and genetic engineering in developing countries".
Physicians and Scientists for Responsible Application of Science and Technology (PSRAST) - a global network for impartial interdisciplinary evaluation of the safety of new technologies. Explains why genetically engineered food may not be safe to eat and why release of genetically engineered organisms may be hazardous. There is also an affiliated NZ group - Physicians and Scientists for the Responsible Application of Science and Technology in NZ.
Sustainability Council of NZ - The Sustainability Council comprises eminent New Zealanders, including former Queen Elizabeth II Trust Chair Sir Peter Elworthy, biological scientist Professor Garth Cooper and actor Sam Neill OBE who share an informed passion against indiscriminate release of GE. They convened to offer independent research and analysis on GE.
Suggest or comment on a link. Email: webmaster@greens.org.nz