August 9, 2002
A date and location for a public hearing into the AgResearch application to develop transgenic cattle have been confirmed. The hearing will be held over three days from 13 - 15 August at the Quality Inn in Hamilton. The purpose of AgResearch's research is to develop transgenic cattle that can express functional therapeutic foreign proteins in their milk, and to develop transgenic cattle to study gene function and genetic performance.
ERMA New Zealand has received 863 submissions on this application with up to 35 submitters wishing to be heard at a public hearing. The majority of the submissions are opposed to the application, seven are in favour.
Hearings are a fundamental part of the HSNO Act, facilitating the public's right to be heard in regard to notified applications. They are also an opportunity for the Authority to be fully informed on an application and for the parties to put before that Authority information which is relevant to the application under consideration. The emphasis will be on the risks, costs and benefits of the application in the context of the statutory framework of the HSNO Act.
The hearing will begin on the first day with presentation of any legal issues, followed by an overview of the application by AgResearch, presentation of ERMA New Zealand's Evaluation and Review Report, Nga Kaihautu will then introduce their report, and presentations from submitters will follow, and continue over the following two days.
For more information about the current AgResearch application visit the focus page.
For further information contact:
Julie Watson,
Communications Manager.
Tel: +64 4 918 4824.
Mob: 021 674 954.
NOTE: The hearing will be open to the media.
Tape recording, video recording, photographing or filing of the hearing by media or others will not generally be allowed. The Chair may, however, permit the recording, photographs or filming of preliminary proceedings. This policy will be announced by the Chair at the commencement of the hearing. A media kit with background information, structure of the hearing, sequence of submitters, policy for media and media contacts will be available at the hearing.