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 < Back Carr Risks NSW GM Free Status say Dems March 4th 2003 - NSW's GM free status is at risk from Bob Carr's inaction in declaring NSW a ban on GM testing, according to NSW Democrats leader, Dr Arthur Chesterfield0-Evans. The Howard government's Gene Regulator allows regulation at a State or local government level, which allows Carr to act in NSW interest. If there is no serious regulation of GM crops in Austrlaia, GM crops will contaminate the State and Europe and Japan will be unwilling to take our foods. It would suit the US if this were the situation, as Australia would then have no option but to join the US in trying to force open these markets to GM crops. If there is a market for non-GM food, we want to have a competitive advantage in these markets, not let the US 'research', which Australian farmers do not have access to actually destroy our GM-free status, as has happened in Canada. It is not clear that gene transfer will not have negative effects. DNA transfer in bacteria has led to rapid spread of antibiotic resistance, and effects not being tested for may well prove to be relevant in the longer term. It is likely that the use of pesticide resistant strains, and the increased use of pesticides with this could have big ecological and environmental effects. It is time that our governments looked after our interests, concluded Dr Chesterfield-Evans. |
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updated:
August 14, 2003
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