GE Free New Zealand in Food & Environment, 1st August  2003

ACT and Aliens back Life Sciences Push on GE

The Raelian Movement and ACT have come out swinging for the Life Sciences Network in demanding people allow GE release and contamination of the environment. About 300 naked Raelians are reported by the Express paper ( 30 July) to be staging a naked sit- in to support cloning and the release of GE crops. The ACT party has also declared its support for GE release despite their claim to represent taxpayers and consumers ( implicit in their name Association of Taxpayers and Consumers).

" Both ACT and the Raelians are misguided by their support for GE release. The evidence is against them," says Jon Carapiet from GE Free NZ in food and environment. " These allies of the Life Sciences Network are an indication of just how far away from ordinary people the pushers of GE products have become in the zealotry. This should be a warning to the government that they are marginalising the 80% of New Zealanders who want GE-free production preserved and therefore want the moratorium on GE release to at least be extended for 5years."

Contact:Jon Carapiet 09 815 3370

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http://www.lifesciencenz.com/news-detail.asp?newsID=4401

Wake up Greens - the world is moving on, Act says

"The Greens have yet to come to terms with the fact that the world is moving on over the GM issue," ACT New Zealand Rural Affairs Spokesman Gerry Eckhoff said today.

"Even the European Union has moved recently to allow imports of GM material. While there will be no headlong rush into GM planting in New Zealand, white clover would benefit from protection from the mosaic virus which is destroying much of our grassland productivity," Mr Eckhoff said.

"Despite a rear guard action by a few dedicated souls, the benefits of this science to the human race will continue with the lifting of the moratorium.

"A most exciting opportunity with GM technology will be the reduction of pesticide chemicals used daily by agriculture. New Zealand must not become a scientific backwater where our best and brightest are driven overseas by those who fear the future.

"New Zealanders increasingly see the Greens as control freaks who seek to impose their very narrow view of the world on everyone else.

"The lifting of the moratorium in October will be greeted with a sigh of relief by all who understand that technology and science cannot - and will not - remain in a time warp," Mr Eckhoff said.

Source: ACT NZ Press Release, 1 August 2003

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