GMW: GM crop ban welcomed in Australia/Strict liability call from minister

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GMW: GM crop ban welcomed in Australia/Strict liability call

from minister

" GM WATCH " <info

Wed, 14 Sep 2005 11:26:42 +0100

 

 

 

 

GM WATCH daily

http://www.gmwatch.org

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1.NSW GM crop ban welcomed

2.Monsanto's GM contamination found in Australia

 

QUOTE: " Regretfully, the GM companies appear unable to contain their

product within the laboratory or within Office of Gene Technology

Regulator (OGTR) trial sites and they appear unable or unwilling to

respect

WA's moratorium or those in place in other Australian jurisdictions.

 

" I shall be raising the issue of GM contamination and the need for

strict liability legislation as a matter of urgency...

 

" I will be seeking urgent advice from the Department of Agriculture on

the means necessary to ensure that such events do not recur in WA while

our moratorium is in place. " - Kim Chance, Western Australia's

Agriculture Minister

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1.NSW GM crop ban welcomed

GeneEthics NEWS MEDIA RELEASE 14/9/05

 

Melbourne, Wednesday September 14, 2005: The GeneEthics Network

welcomes NSW Agriculture Minister Ian Macdonald's decision to extend

the state

ban on genetically manipulated (GM) crops from 2006 to 2008.

 

" NSW has come into line with other state's bans on the growing of GM

canola - a rational and necessary decision, " says GeneEthics Director Bob

Phelps.

 

" But the discovery of GM contamination in National Variety Trials (NTV)

of canola in Western Australia, commissioned by the pro-GM Grains

Research and Development Corporation, shows the ban is threatened, " he

says.

 

" Tough GM control measures and a zero tolerance policy for

contamination in NSW are needed to identify, clean up and eliminate

any GM

pollution, " he says.

 

GeneEthics wrote to all Agriculture Ministers asking them to:

 

* maintain GM crop moratoria in all jurisdictions, and that no state or

territory end its present ban without the concurrence of others, as GE

free areas would also be affected if GE canola were grown commercially.

 

* the need for uniform liability laws to ensure that:

1. common law remedies are not relied on to redress any harm or

contamination that genetically engineered organisms may cause;

2. the owners of GE organisms are fully responsible for any negative

impacts of their use;

3. an industry-supported fund is established to compensate anyone

suffering loss or harm from the impacts GE organisms.

 

" The voice of reason is being heard, as Minister Chance has called for

national strict liability laws and the extended NSW ban till 2008

aligns it with most other states, " Mr Phelps says.

 

" Bayer's Topas 19/2 variety of herbicide tolerant canola, found

recently in commercial canola in Victoria and South Australia must

also be

eliminated, " he says.

 

" GM contamination is still at low levels but it can and must be quickly

cleaned up before the nation's valuable GM-free markets are lost, both

locally and globally " Mr Phelps concludes.

 

More comment: Bob Phelps 03 9347 4500 (O) 03 9889 1717 (H)

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2.*Monsanto's GM contamination found in Australia*

13 September 2005

 

*Mr Chance said trace levels of Monsanto's GM canola had been found in

two varieties of non-GM canola grown in National Variety Trials (NVT)

in WA and that similar incidents had been reported in other

canola-growing States.*

 

*MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY;

 

THE MID-WEST; WHEATBELT

 

*MEDIA STATEMENT, 13/9/05

 

Attention: News Editor/Chief of Staff

 

*Traces of GM canola found in variety trials*

 

Agriculture Minister Kim Chance today called on GM companies to take

greater care and responsibility for their product or face clean up costs

in Western Australia following another contamination incident in WA.

 

Mr Chance said trace levels of Monsanto's GM canola had been found in

two varieties of non-GM canola grown in National Variety Trials (NVT) in

WA and that similar incidents had been reported in other canola-growing

States.

 

" Fortunately, the low trace level of GM material means there is no

immediate threat to access to overseas markets or the environment, " Mr

Chance said.

 

The GM level detected at the trial sites was 0.04 per cent, which is

well below international market standards. The harshest standard in the

world is that of the European Union at 0.9 per cent.

 

" Regretfully, the GM companies appear unable to contain their product

within the laboratory or within Office of Gene Technology Regulator

(OGTR) trial sites and they appear unable or unwilling to respect WA's

moratorium or those in place in other Australian jurisdictions, " Mr

Chance

said.

 

The NVT program is funded and managed by the Grains Research

Development Corporation and there are two canola NVT trial sites in

Western

Australia.

 

These trial sites are now being treated as GM sites and will be managed

in accordance with established and approved protocols.

 

" Because the trace levels are so low, I am allowing the variety trials

to be completed as they will provide valuable information. If these

trials presented any danger to our reputation I would not allow them to

continue, " Mr Chance said.

 

The crops are currently flowering and all grain harvested from the

sites once the trials are completed will be destroyed. The sites will

then

be monitored and any volunteer canola plants that germinate will be

destroyed before they can flower.

 

" I am confident that these measures will manage the current situation.

However, should such incidents recur in the future I will require the

contaminated area to be destroyed, " Mr Chance said.

 

" I shall be raising the issue of GM contamination and the need for

strict liability legislation as a matter of urgency at the next

meeting of

the Primary Industry Ministerial Council.

 

" I will be seeking urgent advice from the Department of Agriculture on

the means necessary to ensure that such events do not recur in WA while

our moratorium is in place. "

 

" The Gallop Government is committed to protecting and enhancing Western

Australia's agriculture and unique environment. "

 

*Media contact:* Alicia Miriklis 9213 6700, 0428 911 240.

 

 

 

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