On the Friday theme
Summing up this section of the HSNO Act it says that between 29 Oct 2001 and close of 29 Oct 2003 the Authority (Being the Environmental Risk Management Authority) must NOT Csider or approve applications for importing for release or release from Ctainment of new organisms (which happens to include GM organisms).
And the question that springs to most minds is so what? Well, there'd be very few people that wouldn't have noticed that the moratorium is ending soon. What many don't seem to understand is that the Government isn't lifting it, it was programmed to come off anyway. So if you were determined to get it extended, then you needed to get in MONTHS ago, because to get the moratorium extended, you had to change the law. That takes an incredibly long time. It is not a secret process however, and the eagle eyed ones would have noticed that there has been a piece of legislation going through called New Organisms and Other Matters ammending the HSNO legislation. So, the protests should have been months ago when NOOM was first begun.
The end of the moratorium will mean nothing for a while. Who knows how long? It means that if an organisation thinks that they can make enough money from growing something to recover the hundred thousand or so it will cost to apply for an approval (which is the same cost for a decline), that they might risk the political fallout of being the first appicant for a GM release in NZ.
I see a Comar-Brunton poll shows 53% of NZer's have no faith in ERMA. I Cfess, I'd also love to know what they do know about ERMA! I've found most members of the public that are not involved in science or active GM protestors have never heard of ERMA. And certainly don't know what the process is.
Posted by Toni at October 17, 2003 12:14 PMThanks for this! I keep being asked for an opinion when I know nothing about the moratorium (and admittedly have made little effort to find out. BAD me. I WILL do better when I get home).
Posted by: karen at October 17, 2003 08:13 PMYou're welcome!
I am getting a bit annoyed with people, particularly the Green Party, who know damn well the moratorium cannot be extended in a short time frame, calling for extensions. Its like dangling a carrot in front of people when you are perfectly aware they can't have it.
Posted by: toni at October 18, 2003 08:59 AM