Posted on 11-11-2002

Corngate Inquiry Broad

The Corngate inquiry terms of reference are broad enough to reveal the
truth behind the suspicions of GE-contamination of sweetcorn planted in
2000, Greens Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said today.

The Local Government and Environment select committee today released the
terms of reference for its inquiry into the alleged accidental release of
genetically-engineered sweetcorn plants in 2000. The inquiry was confirmed
by the committee on October 17, and will get underway in February next year.

Ms Fitzsimons said she was pleased the committee had largely adopted the
terms of reference she proposed, with useful amendments from both Labour
and National. I look forward to the inquiry, and I especially look forward
to being able to provide a clear and factual explanation to the public
about what happened, she said. Ms Fitzsimons has always been concerned that
key questions raised by Corngate remained unanswered, and had been brushed
under the carpet by the timing of the election.

Key issues which would be canvassed in the inquiry included the adequacy of
GE testing, how government departments coped with the events, and whether
the public and other parties were adequately informed about the issue at
the appropriate time.

I hope that once we have clarified the facts, we can make useful
recommendations about issues of seed testing, interpretation of science,
public sector decision-making, and enforcement of New Zealand s law on GE,
Ms Fitzsimons said. She hoped the inquiry might be completed by the middle
of next year, but that depended on other work in front of the committee.