June 27, 2000
GMOs and environmental risk management feature at ERMA conference
ERMA New Zealand holds its third annual conference in Christchurch this month. The event is expected to attract 100-150 participants from around the country, including industry, scientists, legal and resource management advisors, Maori, environmental groups and central and local government agencies.
The Environmental Risk Management Authority controls the introduction of new organisms, including genetically modified organisms, and hazardous substances into New Zealand.
The conference will look at the latest issues surrounding genetically modified organisms (GMOs). It will open with the Minister for the Environment, Hon Marian Hobbs, outlining the government's approach to GM issues - and the newly announced Moratorium and Royal Commission of Inquiry on Genetic Modification.
ERMA New Zealand Communications Manager, Karen Cronin, said that a special session had now been added to brief scientists and research companies on the Authority's investigation into unauthorised GM developments. Decision-making powers in 21 research institutions were recently suspended, following reports of over 100 incidents of illegal GM research. These delegations are now being reinstated, pending a check on approval systems for low risk GMOs.
" We will have all the Authority members and our senior in staff in Canterbury, which is an area where a lot of GM research is done. We hope that scientists and research managers in the universities and Crown Research institutes will come and talk to us in person and get a better idea of what the approval system actually involves," said Ms Cronin.
The conference will also discuss the risks to New Zealand's biodiversity and sustainable land management from importing new plants and animals.
Ms Cronin said the conference was an important opportunity for people interested in new plants, in particular, to get to grips with the HSNO legislation.
" We are concerned that many people, including home gardeners, plant fanciers, gardening clubs and nurserymen are unaware of the HSNO Act and what it means for them. We are actively marketing the conference to these groups as part of our public awareness campaign for new plant imports."
There will also be a session on the latest developments in environmental risk management. This features an international keynote paper by Professor Jean Cross, from the Department of Safety Science at the University of New South Wales and Chair of the Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand Risk Management Committee.
The newly formed New Zealand Society for Risk Management will also be featured.
There are also workshops on key issues, including:
- GMO technical issues- antibiotic resistance marker genes and horizontal gene transfer;
- New plant and animal imports - bio diversity and bio security in New Zealand; sustainable land management;
- Maori perspectives - GMOs and the environment and expectations of the HSNO process;
- Social issues- public awareness, community expectations, ethical and social issues;
- Using the world wide web to learn more about new organisms and hazardous substances;
- How to take part in submissions and hearings under the HSNO Act.
The full detailed conference programme is available.