PRIMARY Industries and Regional Development Minister Tim Whetstone has pledged to keep introducing regulations to allow the cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops despite the upper house again voting to restore the statewide ban.
Yesterday, Labor and SA Best sided with the Greens to reintroduce the ban on mainland South Australia for a third time, with parliamentary leader Mark Parnell promising to disallow any new regulations.
Mr Parnell said the State Government’s GM bill, which has been introduced in the lower house, would need to be considered in the likely event it passes with majority support.
“In both these debates, a key issue will be whether GM and non-GM crops can co-exist and who will be responsible for the inevitable contamination when GM crops spread beyond the farm fence,” he said.
“The world is demanding more natural foods and South Australia is well-placed to help meet that demand.
“But only if we keep the moratorium in place.”
While the Greens opposition is rooted in the potential for GM contamination and economic loss for farmers, SA Best has introduced its own legislation, which agriculture spokesperson Frank Pangallo was a “more balanced approach”.
However, Mr Whetstone said an assessment of SA Best’s “anti-GM” bill would force the Environment Protection Authority to send officers to undertake inspections of farmers’ properties without permission at the request of a non-GM farmer.
“The EPA would not be able to refuse to undertake a crop inspection even if the request is unreasonable,” he said.
“Industry has told us they would rather wait five years until the existing laws naturally lapse than see SA Best’s anti-GM legislation go forward.”
Mr Whetstone said the government would continue to re-introduce regulations lifting the GM moratorium if SA Best, the Greens and Labor parties disallow them in parliament.
He said the government’s proposed changes would both lift the moratorium on the mainland and protect existing markets for Kangaroo Island farmers.
