|
|
|
|
Submissions are open
for input to ensure we retain the stringent
Regulations we have strived for to
protect food and environment
in Aotearoa
For over 20 years our commercial environment has remained GE Free, due to your help supporting us at GE Free New Zealand, strengthening regulation which protect our food and environment.
Help us retain these Regulations which have protected and benefited our global exports of high quality safe food.
There is industry pressure on the government to stop regulating new forms of Genetic Engineering. Help us retain these regulations which have protected our environment.
Although this amendments relates to Hazardous Substances, (we will alert you to future amendments that relate to GMOs), we invite you to make a submission using the points below).
We have been busy this year, so read my report below to get up to date.
Together, we must keep NZ GE/GMO Free.
Nga mihi,
Claire Bleakley, President
|
|
Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (Hazardous Substances Assessments) Amendment Bill
Source: Parliament NZ website 12 Aug 2021
Public submissions are now being called for the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (Hazardous Substances Assessments) Amendment Bill.
The Environment Committee is calling for public submissions on the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (Hazardous Substances Assessments) Amendment Bill.
The bill would amend the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 to improve the assessment and reassessment processes for hazardous substances. The amendments would allow the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to make better use of data, assessments, and information from international regulators. The bill also aims to increase the efficiency and transparency of the reassessment process by:
- allowing the EPA to engage in targeted consultation about a hazardous substance
- requiring the EPA to develop a publicly available work plan for any reassessment process.
The bill also seeks to make three technical amendments to correct ambiguous language or omissions.
This bill is available online from the ‘Related links’ panel.
What do you need to know?
- Submissions are publicly released and published to the Parliament website. Only your name or organisation’s name is required on a submission. Please keep your contact details separate, as if they are included on the submission they will become publicly available when the submission is released.
- If you wish to include information of a private or personal nature in your submission you should discuss this with the clerk of the committee before submitting.
- If you wish to speak to your submission, please state this clearly.
Further guidance on making a submission can be found from the ‘How to make a submission’ link in the ‘Related documents’ panel.
If you have any questions about your submission or the submission process please contact the Committee Staff through the contact details provided on this page.
- https://www.parliament.nz/en/
- Parliamentary Business
- Select committees upcoming dates & invites for submissions
- Make a submission for the HSNO Amendment Bill
|
|
Guideline points for making submissions:
If you wish to make your submission in writing, remember to include your name and contact details.
(Don’t forget to say if you want to speak to the Committee in person)
Parliament Building, Private Bag 18041, Wellington 6160, New Zealand.
- I oppose the removal of the notification of decisions and reasons for the decision
- These are necessary for the accountability of any decision-making by the bodies that carry out approvals, and removal of these clauses will create a lack of transparency and accountability.
Regarding Genetically Modified Organisms
- There should be a further addition to HSNO Sec: 62 Reassessment of 62 (d) any new organism released without controls.
- There should be text change to move 62 (d) Any hazardous substance to 62 (e).
- To meet the purpose of the Act authorities need to be able to consider new information relevant to managing risks of any new organisms released without controls.
- It needs to made clear who is responsible for recalling or reassessing new organism that has been released without controls if new information arises regarding their risk.
- If a new organism that has undergone approval for release without controls is found to be harming the environment, affecting livelihoods or economic viability of communities, there must be an avenue for reassessment in place.
- As the experts in new organisms are in the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), it is most appropriate for the HSNO Act to be the legislation for the necessary safety reassessment to occur.
- This requires that a clause in HSNO Sec: 62 be included to address the omission.
Engagement and Local Government Information
- It is important that all local authorities be given notification of applications and be permitted to decide there own level of interest.
- The wording in HSNO amendment Bill sec: 53 4 (c) ii) “if, in the opinion of the Authority, the local authority is likely to have an interest in the application” is subjective and limiting to those councils who may have a new or unidentified interest.
- The wording should be amended so the clause reads –
53 (4)The Authority shall, upon receipt of the application, notify—
(c) ii) all local authorities (within the meaning of the Local Government Act 2002).
Emerging cross-technology products
- The Act must be fit for purpose to address risks in emerging novel techniques used in reformulations and new products e.g nanotechnology and new RNAi non-living biopesticides (which are active substances that genetically modify).
- To address this the Act should have an addition to Section 26 (3) a new clause (d)
26 (3) (d) A hazardous substance that has been approved but is re formulated to contain or act like a genetically modified organism or contain nanoparticles must be publicly notified.
|
|
Presidents update
Kia ora Tatau Katoa,
We have had a very busy few months networking and finding out about the issues rising from our colleagues overseas.
We have been involved with Stop GE Trees campaign an international organisation raising issues around the risk of GE trees (https://stopgetrees.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/GE-trees-statement-En-2.pdf ). Here is the latest statement "GE Trees: No solution to climate change”.
Our colleagues in the Phillipines have been sent reeling over the approval to plant GE yellow rice that was been approved last year by FSANZ. The GE Yellow rice was approved without any safety testing, and it was also acknowledged that the levels of beta carotene are negligible and any statement to say that it contained nutritionally significant amounts of Vitamin A was misleading. It was estimated that a person eating “GE Yellow Rice” would need the equivalent of 3 Kgs cooked yellow rice to get the same beta carotene as one carrot. ( https://www.gefree.org.nz/assets/pdf/Hon.-Minister-Damien-OConnor-1.2.2018.pdf )
Our colleagues in Australia have been working on a new GE Free food guide app that can be downloaded. We are working on terms of reference for NZ being part of this work.
Our colleague at the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) are a research and advocacy organisation working towards food sovereignty and agroecology in Africa, with a focus on biosafety, seed systems and agricultural biodiversity.
In New Zealand we have just heard that our submission for a reassessment of ERMA 200223 https://www.gefree.org.nz/ on the GE Animal facility at AgResearch has been turned down. The reassessment decision denies that the harm and suffering of the animals and the failure of the experiment is “new information”.
GE Free NZ and the Auckland Coalition made a submission to the select committee regarding the Natural and Built Environment Bill which is a reform of the RMA. We called for the ability of councils to preserve the hard fought ability for local bodies to listen to the community regarding placing precautionary GE rules in their plans.
Jon C’s Auckland Coalition https://www.facebook.com/environmentSCNZ/videos/552444132470852
starts at 1.14.00mins approx.
GE Free NZ submission at https://www.facebook.com/environmentSCNZ/videos/1008712993280599 starts at 23mins approx.
This has been a very busy time and been great to link in with the rest of the world in knowing that we are together in protecting the environment from the hazards of GE.
Regulation has protected and benefited our global exports of high quality safe food.
Together, we must keep NZ GE/GMO Free.Claire Bleakley, President
|
|
|
The People’s Inquiry – Online Public Hearing
The People’s Inquiry into the Impacts and Effects of Toxic Chemicals and Poisons on our People, Wildlife and Environment – Te Uiuinga e pā ana ki nga Pātanga me nga Tukinotanga a nga Matū Tāoke me nga Paitini ki ngā Tāngata, nga Kararehe Kōwao me te Taiao
Full press release with references: https://peoplesinquiry2020.nz/
|
|
GE FREE NZ PRESS RELEASES:
presented by:
- Claire Bleakley, President 027 348 6731
- Jon Carapiet, National Spokesman 0210507681
- Jon Muller, Secretary 027 479 4195
Full press release & all references can be found on there links provided with each article.
|
|
|
07/07/2021
Bayer has announced that it is withdrawing all its proprietary glyphosate - based herbicides (GBH), from the US lawn and garden markets by 2023. This is in recognition of the Court costs related to the chronic health damage RoundUp has caused, mostly on farmers and small gardeners. [1]
Full press release with references: https://press.gefree.org.nz/press/20210801.htm
|
|
|
07/07/2021
Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) has put industry profit before peoples health in its recommendation to approve irradiation of all types of fruit and vegetables between quarantine zones in Australia and New Zealand. Consumers are right to feel betrayed and ask that New Zealand and Australian Ministers do not approve the FSANZ decision.
Full press release with references: https://press.gefree.org.nz/press/20210707.htm
|
|
|
https://press.gefree.org.nz/press/20210618.htm
18/06/2021
There is concern that The Ministry of Health has been hoodwinked into promoting Genetic Engineering of tobacco as a credible option towards a Smoke Free Aotearoa.
Submissions on the Smoke Free 2025 consultation document have closed, and it is positive to see a 40% drop in people smoking cigarettes in the last 5 years.
Full press release with references: https://press.gefree.org.nz/press/20210618.htm
|
|
|
https://press.gefree.org.nz/press/20210514.htm
10/06/2021
The Climate Change Commission's report has addressed the need to make radical changes to prevent serious climate problems for the future. [1]
However the report fails to consider the best solution for agriculture in Aotearoa New Zealand that would accelerate the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by supporting farmers to transition to regenerative organic sustainable agriculture.
Full press release with references: https://press.gefree.org.nz/press/20210514.htm
|
|
|
https://press.gefree.org.nz/press/20210411.htm
11/04/2021
New Zealand’s Ministerial engagement in the Trans Tasman GE Food Standards approval process has been silenced. The Conran review of the Council of Australian Governments COAG fora has recommended the dismantling of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) Ministerial Forum proposing that the meetings are “time-limited, when needed and for specific tasks with specified, sun-setting time frames of no longer than 12 months…”[1]
Full press release with references: https://press.gefree.org.nz/press/20210411.htm
|
|
|
https://press.gefree.org.nz/press/200210326.htm
5/9/2020
New RNAi 'gene silencing' pesticides are being developed by Agro-biotec companies to kill insects by “switching off” their essential survival genes. [1] This use of genome technology has the potential to devastate non-target species, such as honeybees and butterflies, and to compromise environmental and human health. [2][3]
The pesticides are the next battlefield for food safety and environmental sustainability. There is clear scientific evidence that they present a new level of complexity and risk.
Full press release with references: https://press.gefree.org.nz/press/200210326.htm
|
|
|
https://press.gefree.org.nz/press/20210314.htm
130/08/2020
Consultation on global proposals to deregulate Gene Editing will end on March 17th, with the public and food producers largely in the dark about the major implications.
The coincidence in date for proposals in Australia and the UK is a 'D-Day' for food safety.[1] [2]
"'D-Day' will mean Disaster Day, if products from Gene Editing are not regulated for safety for people and the environment and registered in a global database," said Jon Carapiet, spokesman for GE-Free NZ.
Full press release with references: https://press.gefree.org.nz/press/20210314.htm
|
|
|
https://press.gefree.org.nz/press/20210225.htm
25/02/2021
Legislation regulating New Zealand's organic sector is about to pass through its final stages in Parliament and will be a major boost for exporters meeting the global demand for safe, 'clean', GE-free organic products. The Organic Products Bill helps bring New Zealand into line with international organic certification under which Genetically Engineered (GE) organisms are prohibited.
The Organic Products Bill aims to give businesses clarity around product claims and to reassure consumers about the integrity of organic production systems. This legislation comes at a time when consumer trust and confidence in brands is becoming increasingly important as a competitive point of difference for New Zealand exports.
Full press release with references: https://press.gefree.org.nz/press/20210225.htm
|
|
|
https://press.gefree.org.nz/press/20210131.htm
31/01/2021
New Zealanders and Europeans have overwhelmingly rejected the environmental release of the new breeding technologies (NBT) of gene editing and gene drives, a form of genetic engineering.
In 2019 Dr. Maui Hudson, Waikato University, [1] released a report on Indigenous Perspectives and gene editing. Professor Kathlene and colleagues (2020) also conducted a national survey on genetic technologies. The results reported that the majority of Māori and Pākehā participants were strongly opposed to any commercial release of gene-edited organisms and believed that we need strong regulation. [2]
A just released EU survey of 9000 people on gene drives (GD) found there was overwhelming support for a moratorium on gene drive technology. The respondents said that the risks are too high as there is no scientifically proven research to show that GDs are safe and pose no risk. [3]
Full press release with references: https://press.gefree.org.nz/press/20210131.htm
|
|
* RIP Percy Schmeiser – A Hero of the Fight against GMOs *
Percy Schmeiser, a hero of the fight against GMOs globally, passed away at the age of 89, on October 13, 2020. He will be remembered forever as a man who never backed down!
watch the trailer to the new film starring Christopher Walken
"Percy’s Story"
https://sustainablepulse.com/2020/10/22/rip-percy-schmeiser-a-hero-of-the-fight-against-gmos
|
|
|
Science supports need to subject gene-edited plants to strict safety assessments
Source: GMWatch 20 Nov 2019
We’ve been asked to produce an up-to-date list of scientific papers that support the need to subject gene-edited plants and farm animals to stringent safety assessments – in the case of plants, at least as stringent as those already applied to older-style transgenic GM crops. That list – which is not comprehensive but gives an idea of the current state of knowledge – is below. For each paper, we’ve given an explanation of the findings and their implications.
All these papers inform our understanding of unintended and potentially risky effects of gene editing. On this topic, there are currently far more papers being published in the medical research field in experiments using human and animal cells, compared with papers investigating such effects in plants.
However, the problems found thus far with human and animal cell gene editing will also affect plant gene editing. To what extent is unknown, as not enough research has been done. Most plant research instead focuses on product development.
Read more: https://gmwatch.org/en/news/latest-news/19223
|
|
|
Risky GMO Wheat Trial Gets Green Light from UK Government
Source: Sustainable Pulse 7 Sept 2021
The UK Government has given Rothamsted Research consent to plant highly experimental GM wheat in an open field near St Albans, GMWatch reported last Wednesday. GM Freeze, which led the opposition to the trial, joined by GMWatch and other organisations, commented in an email to supporters, “Apparently developed for those who are unable to use a toaster properly, […] The post Risky GMO Wheat Trial Gets Green Light from UK Government appeared on Sustainable Pulse
Read more: https://sustainablepulse.com/2021/09/07/risky-gmo-wheat-trial-gets-green-light-from-uk-government/
|
|
|
US EPA Bans Use of Neurotoxic Insecticide Chlorpyrifos on Food Crops
Source: Sustainable Pulse 19 Aug 2021
In a historic victory for farm workers, environment, and public health, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today it will be revoking all tolerances of chlorpyrifos, effectively banning all food uses of the toxic, brain-damaging pesticide in the U.S. In April, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered EPA to revoke all agricultural uses of chlorpyrifos or retain only those uses it can find safe for workers and children.
[…] The post US EPA Bans Use of Neurotoxic Insecticide Chlorpyrifos on Food Crops appeared .
Read more: https://sustainablepulse.com/2021/08/19/us-epa-bans-use-of-neurotoxic-insecticide-chlorpyrifos-on-food-crops/?
|
|
|
Gene-edited cattle have a major screwup in their DNA
Source: Technology Review 29 Aug 2021
They were the poster animals for the gene-editing revolution, appearing in story after story. By adding just a few letters of DNA to the genomes of dairy cattle, a US startup company had devised a way to make sure the animals never grew troublesome horns.
Read more: https://www.technologyreview.com/2019/08/29/65364/recombinetics-gene-edited-hornless-cattle-major-dna-screwup/
|
|
Recent Published Papers:
* Commercial lobbying and news hype picked up without proper journalistic scrutiny is creating a false view of the safety issues
Gelinksky E and Hilbeck A (2018).
European Court of Justice ruling regarding new genetic engineering methods scientifically justified: a commentary on the biased reporting about the recent ruling. Environmental Sciences Europe 30(1):52.
https://enveurope.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s12302-018-0182-9
* Gene Editing can over-ride natural repair mechanism for damaged DNA, in areas normally protected from mutagenesis
Kawall K (2019).
New possibilities on the horizon: Genome editing makes the whole genome accessible for changes. Frontiers in Plant Science, 10:525. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00525
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2019.00525/full
* CRISPR causes unexpected outcomes even at the intended site of genetic modification
Tuladhar R et al (2019).
CRISPR-Cas9-based mutagenesis frequently provokes on-target mRNA misregulation. Nature Communications vol 10, Article number: 4056, 6 Sept.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-12028-5
* CRISPR gene editing in rice varieties caused a wide range of undesirable and unintended on-target and off-target mutations.
The study confirms that undesirable and unintended on-target and off-target mutations seen in gene-edited animal and human cells also occur in plants
|
|
We would love it if you could help by contributing an AP, no matter how small, to keep us ticking over & provide much needed assistance to raising awarenesses & protecting our legislation.
Please help us continue to keep Aoetearoa GE Free. We utilise your donations towards whatever action is currently requiring attention.
bank account#: 06-0996-0521358-00
http://www.gefree.org.nz/join-ge-free-new-zealand/
|
|
|
Keep an eye out for this logo & encourage manufacturers
to get listed & use the logo.
The policy simply requires sourcing non-ge ingredients for their produce and non-ge feed for their livestock.
This is a policy not a guarantee to assure customers so should be easy to encourage all producer across the board.
More information here: http://gefreepolicy.com/
|
|
|
For more information about what you can do to help
please visit
gefree.org.nz
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
