Parliament’s Health Committee is calling for submissions on the Gene Technology Bill 2024. The closing date for submissions is 11.59 pm on Monday, 17 February 2025.
According to the NZ Parliament
website, the purpose of the Bill is:
“to enable the safe use of
gene technology and regulated organisms in New Zealand. The intention is to establish
a new regulatory regime for gene technology and genetically modified organisms
(GMOs).“
They say the Bill seeks to provide (among other things) for—
·
a flexible legislative framework able to
accommodate future technological and policy developments without frequent
amendment:
·
international alignment, including with key
trading partners, to facilitate trade and improve access to new technologies:
·
ways to recognise and give effect to the
Crown’s obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi.
The Bill has attracted criticism on social media and health commentators expressing concerns about their safety. There has been very little coverage in the mainstream media, despite the debate raging about the pros and cons. This is surprising given the “Corngate” scandal that erupted in July 2002 when the then Labour Prime Minister Helen Clark was confronted over an accidental release of GM corn into New Zealand’s food supply, and an alleged cover-up.
Clearly, Minister Judith Collins thinks things have moved on since then.
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