Agriculture
Giz wants to see sustainable agricultural practices and thriving rural communities. The Greens support research into innovations in sustainable agriculture and industries without the use of Genetically Modified crops. Giz firmly believes that the biotechnology industry (relating to genetic modification in plants and animals) has failed to demonstrate safe and ethical procedures and protocols in relation to environmental and human health.
The Greens are deeply concerned about the threat to agricultural land and water through mining projects, especially in the South West of WA. Giz is introducing a private member’s bill to amend the WA Mining Act 1978. The Greens support the campaigns against new coal in WA:
- No New Coal Campaign – Conservation Council of WA
- No Coal Mining in Margaret River
- NSW Greens campaign against coal “Safeguarding agricultural land and water from mining”
Giz strongly opposes the release of genetically modified plants, animals and micro-organisms into the environment. Giz wants:
- the precautionary principle of ‘unsafe until proven otherwise’ to be applied to the release of genetically altered organisms in to the environment;
- independent research carried out under appropriate conditions of safety for those involved and for the public and biosphere at large;
- no adverse impact on non-GE producers or consumers; and
- no approval of the patenting of life forms.
Giz is appalled that with the approval of an exemption for the cultivation of GM canola by the Minister for Agriculture and Food on 25 January 2010, the moratorium on the commercial cultivation of genetically modified crops has in fact been abolished in WA. Giz regards this decision as an unwelcome act against the spirit of the Genetically Modified Crops Free Areas Act 2003. Read the outcome of the recent review of this Act here. Read more on GM Crops Free Areas Exemption Order.
Read the Greens WA submission: DIR 112 – Limited and Controlled Release of GM Wheat and Barley – February 2012
Giz attended the GM Alliance Forum – March 2012 – see Media Release
Photo Courtesy of Tracy Skippings
Suggested links:
- Giz Watson’s speech on the Agricultural Practices (Disputes) Repeal Bill 2011 - 20 October 2011
- Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren on genetically modified food
- Greens (WA) Policy on Sustainable Agriculture
- True Food Network – Campaign by Greenpeace Australia Pacific
- A Bad Decision: Why WA should reverse course on GM crops, 2010 paper by Dr Maggie Lilith, Conservation Council of Western Australia.
