Wednesday, February 3, 2010

The State Government announced genetically modified canola could from this year onwards be grown in Western Australia.

Minister Redman approved an exemption order under the Genetically Modified Crops Free Areas Act 2003 to permit the cultivation of GM canola.

Local Ian Parmenter called it “absolutely outrageous”.

“It ignores all the warnings and a lot of good science,” he said.

“It seems the submissions have been ignored and it’s my belief that Terry Redman has based his decision on poorly informed bureaucrats.

“It’s far too risky.”

He said the evidence worldwide was that GM was harmful, and once contamination spread from one property to another there was no turning back.

Fellow campaigner Sally Wylie said the decision was not unexpected, citing the Minister’s attitude in recent visits to the US and Canada.

“He was obviously avoiding anything he didn’t want to hear,” she said.

She said studies on the effects of GM had yet to be completed, and the voice of those against GM had been ignored.

“There’s nothing to support him except big biotech companies that were taken over by pro-GM people,” she said.

The GM Free Consumers Network said it was outraged by the removal of the GM Moratorium in WA.

“The Minister’s decision follows the review of the GM Crops Free Areas Act 2003 which attracted over 400 submissions from the public,” spokesperson Janet Grogan said.

“We are appalled that Minister Redman has ignored the findings of the review and has decided that the Genetically Modified Crops Free Areas Act 2003 be scrapped.

“This decision will be detrimental to the State and ignores the wishes of the majority of people and the 24 GM free shires, five of which are in the minister’s electorate, who would like to see WA remain GM free.

The State’s Buy West, Eat Best campaign should now include a warning for consumers that locally derived foods could also be GM.”

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