Guy Barnett,Minister for Primary Industries and Water
The community is invited to comment and make submissions on the latest review of Tasmania's moratorium on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) with an Issues Paper being released today.
Extensive consultation will be undertaken as part of the review, providing producers, retailers, wholesalers, exporters and the community with the opportunity to have their say.
Previous reviews had found no reason to change Tasmania's moratorium and the Liberal Government has strongly supported this position. Building on Tasmania's reputation in the global market place for producing premium products that are safe, clean and reliable is a key to growing the value of agriculture to $10 billion per annum by 2050.
The Terms of Reference include:
- The potential market advantages and disadvantages of allowing or not allowing the use of gene technology in Tasmanian primary industries, including food and non-food sectors;
- Domestic and international gene technology policy relevant to primary industries;
- Research and development relevant to the use of gene technology in primary industries;
- Any other relevant matters raised during the review.
Under the National Gene Technology Scheme, Tasmania regulates a moratorium on GMOs for 'marketing purposes' and accordingly this is the focus of the review. Other aspects of gene technology which are regulated by the Australian Government, including human health, safety and environmental impacts are not part of the review.
Tasmania's current moratorium expires in November this year.
Information on the GMO Moratorium Review and how to make a submission can be found on the DPIPWE website at www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au. The closing date for submissions is 26 April 2019.
