Don’t say no to GMOs, say hold on
‘... the most ambitious conservation project attempted anywhere in the world’ was how John Key framed his announcement of the government’s support for this country becoming predator free by 2050.
This is an inspirational goal that is hard to say ‘no’ to.
Is the goal aspirational, or is there some other imperative behind John Key’s idea?
Conservation Minister Maggie Barry’s four goals for 2025 gives a clue to the answer. One of her goals is the ‘development of a scientific breakthrough capable of removing at least one small mammalian predator from New Zealand entirely’.
What form of scientific breakthrough does she foretell?
No mention of genetic engineering-based science in made the government’s Predator Free New Zealand press releases. But in their cabinet papers, mention is made of ... the use of gene drive and other (genome science) techniques ...
The aim of gene drive technology is to force a particular genomic trait in to all future offspring born from sexual reproduction.
If an undesired species is engineered so that sperm containing the male-determining Y-chromosome is enhanced to win the race to fertilise the females’ eggs, then mainly males will be born.
If those males carry that enhanced gene, then eventually that species may die out.
Significant implications there are in this ability to direct the development of life.
And so aware of those implications our government is.
‘‘Such proposals may attract adverse comment from ... concerned with scientific work related to genetics’’ records the cabinet papers.
Instead of assuring people about safety and ethics, the government has provided funding for a ‘‘community participation work stream’’. The aim of that funding is to ‘‘... build a deep understanding of the benefits of predator control to New Zealand’’ and an ‘‘acceptance of novel control methods.’’
So it is that the introduction of GMOs to our natural environment is a near certainty.
It is not the first time that this government has demonstrated its pre-disposition to deploying genetically engineered organisms.
Last year, I begged the question of whether our government was contemplating the introduction of a wider range of acceptable GMOs (FCN, November 5 2015).
That article was about PexaVec, a transgenic medical treatment for liver cancer.
At the time, Environment Minister Nick Smith used emotional blackmail to justify public acceptance of non-medical GMOs. Who could say ‘no’ to this life-saving GMO? John Key now plays to our ego. * John Allen, director - Rural Connect
HAVE YOUR SAY
Letters should not exceed 250 words and must have full name, residential address and phone number. Letter may be edited. Write to Letters to the Editor, Franklin County News, PO Box 14, Pukekohe or email julie.kaio@fairfaxmedia.co.nz.