ABOUT 60 people attended an anti-genetically modified protest on the steps of Parliament House last week. Protestors came from throughout the State, before a 5000-signature petition was tabled in the Legislative Council by Greens GM spokesperson Lynn MacLaren and Labor MP Sally Talbot. The petition called for an inquiry into the government decision to lift the GM canola ban and the process behind the recent sale to Monsanto of a 19.9 per cent stake in the government-owned crop breeding company Intergrain.

”On behalf of the Christian Democratic Party I support the Gene Technology (GM Crop Moratorium) Amendment (Postponement of Expiry) Bill 2011. I remember the heated debates in this House when the original bill was introduced in 2003. [...] As other members have said, GM crops need to be subject to careful regulation, which is enforced by the Commonwealth. Careful regulation is needed to ensure that buffer zones are maintained and non-GM crops on organic farms are protected. This regulation must be dealt with calmly and scientifically, with no fear campaigns.

The WA Agriculture Minister has admitted in Parliament that none of the genetically modified canola grown in Western Australia last year has been sold, sparking renewed calls for an inquiry into the lifting of the moratorium on GM canola from Greens spokesperson on GMOs Hon Lynn MacLaren MLC. Ms MacLaren says ”When lifting the moratorium, Agriculture Minister Terry Redman claimed that the introduction of GM canola would have no impacts on markets – this revelation raises serious questions about that claim.

Argentina and Brazil have positioned themselves as major players in transgenic soya, corn and cotton production, but critics says the practice has led to an increase in the use of pesticides. [...] It is a similar sentiment that has likely kept GM food off Australian retail shelves to a large extent, although there are processes in place for approval. Australian Food & Grocery Council deputy chief executive Dr Geoffrey Annison, says despite the short-term hurdles for transgenic horticulture in his country, its ’preponderance’ is inevitable in the long term.

A petition with 5,000 signatures has been tabled in State Parliament calling on the Legislative Council to hold an inquiry into the lifting of the moratorium on genetically modified canola. The State Government lifted the ban early last year, allowing Western Australian farmers to grow GM canola. But the State Opposition claims the decision is flawed, demonstrated by an issue between an organic farmer and his neighbour who grew a GM canola crop in the Great Southern.

The area of land planted to genetically modified canola in NSW will increase by 20 per cent this year. From Warren in the central west, south to the Victorian border, an extra 6,000 hectares will be sown. Monsanto spokesman Luke Sampson is relieved farmers are still interested in extra hectares of GM cropping, given big troubles at harvest last year.

eight scientists and academics from Britain, the US, India, Argentina and Australia believe not enough studies have been done on the effects of GM wheat on animals to warrant human trials. The CSIRO has dismissed their concerns, insisting no decision has been made on if or when human trials will begin. In a letter to the CSIRO’s chief executive Megan Clark, the scientists expressed their ”unequivocal denunciation” of the experiments.

The CSIRO has been given permission to conduct Australia’s first trial in which humans will eat genetically modified wheat. The wheat’s genes have been modified to lower the glycemic index and increase fibre to create a product which will improve bowel health and increase nutritional value. For the first time, it is being grown in outdoor trials in the ACT. The CSIRO’s Matthew Morell say animal feeding trials of up the three months have been done.

Parliament is considering new food-labelling laws that would force food companies to disclose if their product contains palm oil or genetically modified material. Tomorrow, the Senate Community Affairs Committee is to issue reports on two Bills. A peak consumers’ group has embraced the changes but the food industry argues existing regulations are good enough.

Genetic modification has been used to develop ”designer white clover” which could overcome ”genetic limitations” such as Alf Alfa Mosaic Virus. AbacusBio pasture genetic consultant Dr Kevin Smith told [...] ”We used a GM approach which is similar to vaccination, in that when this virus comes to infect the white clover it sheds what’s called its coat protein and then infects,”