3 July 2002

"National's position on lifting genetic modification moratorium remains unchanged and follows the sound and comprehensive recommendations of last year's Royal Commission," says National Party Leader Bill English.

Mr English says the commission was a comprehensive and exhaustive process, which listened to all the arguments, considered all the facts and recommended that New Zealand should 'proceed with caution'.

"That is exactly what has happened. New Zealand has the strictest and most transparent regulatory regime in the world and any release of GM products must pass through this process.

"I am willing to listen to argument and debate, but nothing new has been raised that was not carefully considered by the Royal Commission.

Mr English says he's pleased to see the GM issue raised in a reasonable and rational way and not remain captured by the lunatic fringe.

"However, any extension of the current moratorium would need to prove beneficial to all New Zealanders and not just a vested interest groups such as organic producers.

"National is yet to see any evidence of this and therefore our stance on lifting the moratorium remains unchanged," Mr English says.

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