INTERVIEW - Greens issue confidence warning to NZ govt on GMOs
Date: 19-Oct-01
Country: NEW ZEALAND
"We haven't directly made a threat but it has been clear ever since the government was formed that our support on confidence could never be totally unconditional," Green co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons told Reuters in an interview.
"It is certainly not a formal threat to withdraw confidence but when people put it to you, 'are there any situations on which you would ever withdraw confidence from the government', then clearly yes, there are."
"We have no plans at the moment to withdraw support but at the same time genetic engineering (GE) was one of the main reasons that people voted us to come here," Fitzsimons said.
Scientists around the world are modifying the genetic make-up of agricultural products to improve their resistance to pests, disease and weather, or to increase crop yields.
A NZ government inquiry into genetic modification in June recommended a loosening of curbs on low-risk GMOs, but added there should be rigorous testing on a case-by-case basis.
The Greens, on whose seven MPs the minority government relies for confidence in New Zealand's 120-seat single chamber parliament, is campaigning strongly for a long-term moratorium on the release of GMOs and the promotion of New Zealand as GMO-free.
The coalition holds 59 seats in the parliament and could turn to other minority parties for support.
GOVERNMENT TO DELAY GMO RELEASE?
The NZ Herald reported yesterday that Clark's centre-left coalition government was planning a two-year freeze on field trials of GMOs - not only to please the Greens but also appease its own Maori MPs, who have cultural and religious concerns about genetic modification across species.
The Herald said Clark was proposing the moratorium while several key ministers - such as Finance Minister Michael Cullen - favoured controlled GMO releases.
Currently, science agencies and research companies have in place a voluntary moratorium on GMO field trials, which expires at the end of the month.
Fitzsimons said the Greens want clarity on what would be covered by a continued moratorium on the release of GMOs.
"Our constituency think very strongly about it and they would not expect us to continue to support a government that released genetically engineered organisms into the environment," she said.
"If you want to take the complete extreme, and the government were to resume full opportunities to release GE organisms anywhere, then clearly we would have to withdraw...but I don't think they will do that."