Previously known as Physicians and Scientists for Responsible Genetics PSRGNZ - Charitable Trust
Affiliated to the international organisation PSRAST - Physicians and Scientists for the Responsible Application of Science and Technology
As required under the new 2005 Charities Act, PSGR has reregistered as a charitable trust.

Biotechnology has made important advances adding much of value to our scientific heritage. However, the technology of genetic engineering is seriously flawed.

Moving genes between species is changing the shape of our world. It, and the patenting of plants and animals, has extended property rights into biology, providing the potential for direct control over much of the world's agricultural production and thus its food supply.

28 March 2016

Food Standards Australia New Zealand   Food Standards Australia New Zealand

Submission on Rec 34:  Review required labelling of irradiated foods

FSANZ will acknowledge that FSANZ and the Food Forum have already approved 24 fruits and vegetables for radiation energy exposure of at least 1.5 million chest x-rays:  apple, apricot, bread fruit, capsicum, carambola, cherry, custard apple, honeydew, litchi, longan, mango, mangosteen, nectarine, papaya (paw paw), peach, persimmon, plum, rambutan, rockmelon, scallopini, strawberry, table grape, tomato, zucchini (courgette).  It is understood that blueberries and raspberries are also being considered for irradiation. 

These foods cover a substantial range of the fresh foods consumed in the daily diet.  What child does not take an apple to school in his/her lunch box or eat sandwiches spread with jam made from plums, apricots, berries or other fruits?  How often do tomatoes or capsicums go into a salad, or any of the above fruits go into a fruit salad or other fruit dish?

Removing mandatory labelling of irradiated foods denies consumers the right of choice as to whether they ingest those foods or fresh non-irradiated foods, and whether or not to feed them to the most vulnerable in society, infants and children.

22 March 2016

Food Standards Australia New Zealand     Food Standards Australia New Zealand

Application A1118 – food derived from corn line MON87419 made by Monsanto Australia Pty Ltd, genetically engineered to be tolerant to the herbicides dicamba and glufosinate ammonium. 

The Trustees and Members of PSGR urge Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to meet their duty of care and reject this application. 

Many scientific and medical fraternities worldwide are deeply concerned about feeding human and animal populations foods containing novel DNA sequences not found in nature.  On an evolutionary time scale, the introduction of transgenic material into the food chain has not allowed for genetic changes to evolve for the human or animal systems to cope with these previously unknown transgenes. 

10 March 2016

Local Government and Environment Select Committee
Select Committee Services
Parliament Buildings
WELLINGTON 6160

This submission is to the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill introduced to Parliament on 26 November 2015, and specifically with reference to the Clause 105 new section 360D Regulations that permit or prohibit certain rules – and particularly to clause 1(b):

(1) The Governor-General may, by Order in Council made on the recommendation of the Minister, make regulations (b) to prohibit a local authority from making specified rules or specified types of rules: