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Policy B2: Genetically Manipulatd Organisms
1. genetically manipulated organisms (GMOs), their products, and the chemicals used to manage them, pose unacceptable threats to natural and agricultural ecosystems.
2. the precautionary principle must be applied to the use of genetically manipulated organisms and the techniques for producing them.
3. GMO assessments must be broad, independent and scientifically robust, and any negative effects detected and addressed proactively.
4. as living organisms - plants, animals and micro-organisms - are not inventions, patents on life are unethical, against the public interest and should be banned.
5. the Australian government must ban plant GMOs with seeds made sterile by 'terminator' (Gene Use Restriction) technologies, so they will not germinate when planted, and advocate this policy in Convention of Biological Diversity negotiations.
6. farmers and consumers have a right to grow and consume food that is not genetically manipulated.
7. everyone has a right to know if foods contain any ingredients made using GM techniques, through the comprehensive labelling of those products.
8. a moratorium on the release of GMOs into the environment until there is an adequate scientific understanding of their long term impact on the environment, and human and animal health. (NB: most GM products are fed to animals)
9. mandatory labeling of all foods containing any ingredient, additive, processing aid or other constituent produced using GMOs.
10. a ban on patenting all living organisms - plants, animals and micro-organisms - and naturally occurring DNA code sequence information.
11. a scientific system which sets objective benchmarks, standards and quality assurance systems in advance, to mandate top quality, peer reviewed scientific evidence must be the only basis for assessing and licensing GMOs.
12. a strengthened, transparent, precautionary regulatory and monitoring system which prevents GMO contamination.
13. impact assessment research criteria and benchmarked processes that ensure GMOs are safe for the environment, and that derived foods are safe for human consumption.
14. sign and ratify the Cartagena Biosafety Protocol (on the safe international transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms) so that Australia fulfils its responsibilities under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
15. review and amend the Commonwealth Gene Technology Act 2000 (as amended) to:
- ensure the precautionary principle is rigorously applied to all applications for the general or restricted release of any GMO;
- ensure that assessment processes are objectively and fairly conducted by independent scientists and community representatives with the power to influence the regulators decisions;
- ensure that assessment processes examine the potential benefits as well as the risks of any proposal to release GMOs, and not issue a license where the risks outweigh the benefits; and
- require economic, social, marketing and ethical factors to be part of impact assessment processes.
16. put in place a moratorium on the release of any GMOs into the Australian environment for trial or commercial purposes
17. remove as far as possible all GMOs from the Australian environment and food supply while the moratorium is in force.
18. require mandatory, accurate and comprehensive labelling of all foods and animal feed containing any ingredient, additive, processing aid or other constituent produced using GMOs.
19. require certification of all imported seed, food and other products as GM or GM-free and ensure facilities exist for stringent testing.
20. make balanced, accurate, complete and high quality information available to the interested public, on the environmental, economic and social aspects of the genetic manipulation of living organisms.
21. change publicly-funded agricultural research and development priorities and resourcing from genetic manipulation to sustainable production methods.
22. fund independent scientific research to investigate the risks, hazards and costs of GMOs (including the associated use of agrichemicals) to human health, the environment, society and the economy.
23. replace the existing ad hoc system of GMO assessment, licensing and monitoring with a scientific system consistent with our principles.
24. ensure that when regulators assess the risks of GMOs as manageable and issue a license, they specify the agencies or individuals responsible for the identified risks and mandate the management systems to be used.
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| B2 GeneticallyManipulatedOrganisms Nov 2009.pdf | 102.05 KB |
