THE Australian Greens are considering a policy change for genetically-modified crop production.
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Greens leader Richard Di Natale said this week he had no personal objection to the science of genetically-modified crops.
GM cotton has been produced in Queensland and NSW for about 20 years.
The controversial farm technology is regarded as a vital tool for reducing on-farm chemical use and improving environmental outcomes, while increasing commercial returns.
In 2008, bans on GM canola were overturned in Victoria and NSW. Other biotech plant varieties are currently in the development pipeline like GM wheat to suit Australia’s dry farming climate.
However, the Greens continue to hold a long-standing policy position opposing GM crop production. In contrast, the two main federal political parties have GM policies that back the scientific stances adopted by national regulatory agencies.
In an interview with Fairfax Agricultural Media, Greens leader Senator Di Natale spoke about expanding his party’s political influence via increased economic credibility, while continuing to prosecute traditional policy strengths like positive, proactive messaging on climate change.
He said the Greens’ goal to expand its voter base to 20 per cent within a decade also involved connecting more with rural and regional communities.
But one traditional policy stance, that’s tormented and frustrated farm groups, is the Green’s ongoing opposition to GMs.
The Greens’ policy says GM products and the chemicals used to manage them “pose significant risks to natural and agricultural ecosystems and human health”.
It calls for a moratorium on the release of GMs “into the environment”, until there is an “adequate scientific understanding of their long term impact on the environment, human and animal health”.
However, Senator Di Natale cited his pre-political career practicing medicine to say he personally had no philosophical or ideological objections to the science of GM crops. He said genetic modification was “something we’ve done for a long time in medicine” such as modifying organisms for vaccinations.”
When pressed on the Greens GM policy opposition contradicting agencies like FSANZ and the OGTR, and the CSIRO which also backs climate change science, Senator Di Natale said he accepted that not all genetic modification was harmful.
Senator Di Natale said the Greens were going through an ongoing policy development process which included looking at the GM issue.
