Posted on 21-11-2003
Labelling
Bill Boomerang
Green MP Sue Kedgley's private member's bill on mandatory
labelling of all GE ingredients in food is to be investigated
by the body with more influence over New Zealand's labelling
laws than our Parliament - the Australian Senate.
Ms Kedgley's private members bill was eagerly seized-on by
Australian Green Senator Bob Brown who introduced it into the
Australian Senate, where it has now been selected for a Senate
inquiry. "It is bizarre that we are forced to make submissions
to an overseas country to try to get something as basic as decent
GE food labelling here in New Zealand," said Ms Kedgley.
"Yet that is the reality of the decision by successive
governments to cede our sovereignty over key food issues to
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). "If this
bill goes through the Senate, then the Australian-dominated
FSANZ will be obliged to amend its labelling code to provide
mandatory labelling of all GE ingredients in food - and that
would be binding on New Zealand!
"Despite the absurdity of the situation, we are grateful
that our fellow Green, Australian Senator Bob Brown, has succeeded
in getting an almost identical version of my private members
bill investigated," said Ms Kedgley. "This is a marvellous
example of Trans-Tasman Green cooperation." Ms Kedgley
is calling on New Zealanders to send submissions to the Australian
Senate inquiry and said she would be travelling to Canberra
to make an oral submission herself.
Written submissions should be lodged with the Selection of
Bills Committee by Friday, 6 February 2004.
Emails (with submissions as attached documents) can be sent
to: community.affairs.sen@aph.gov.au
or faxed to 0061 02 62775829.
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