Labor and Upper House independents back bid to block State Government plan to allow genetically modified crops in SA
SA’s controversial ban on genetically modified crops will not be lifted as Labor and crossbench MPs accuse a government minister of trying to subvert Parliament.
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South Australia’s controversial ban on growing genetically modified crops will stay in place, as the Opposition and crossbenchers cut down a State Government plan to lift it.
The Advertiser can reveal both Labor and SA Best will lock in behind a Greens push in the Upper House and slap down new regulations that would have lifted the ban on December 1.
Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister Tim Whetstone in August announced plans to lift the ban everywhere but on Kangaroo Island, where some local growers have contracts in place that allow them to reap better prices from being GM-free.
However, he did so by issuing a ministerial regulation instead of changing legislation.
The move has been savaged by the Greens as using a “loophole” to override a vote of both houses of Parliament, held just before the last election, to extend the ban to 2025.
Grain Producers SA CEO Caroline Rhodes said the decision on Tuesday showed politics had triumphed over policy within the Labor Party.
“Instead of disclosing their position on GM crops in August, Labor has dealt a cruel blow to growers in the middle of harvest,” she said.
“Instead of trying to attract investment in new research in gene technology, SA imposes redtape in conducting GM field trials, and removes any prospect of commercial adoption.
On behalf of our members, GPSA will keep pursuing this overdue reform.”
Labor has been split on the issue of genetically modified crops, with senior MP and former agriculture minister Leon Bignell urging the ban remain in place but others said to be privately open to lifting it.
Opposition agriculture spokesman Eddie Hughes on Tuesday said the issue of allowing GM crops remained “vexed”, but Labor was adamant in rejecting the State Government’s dodgy process.
“It is extremely unfortunate that Primary Industries Minister Tim Whetstone has acted like a bull in a china shop,” Mr Hughes said.
“It is naive of Minister Whetstone to want to change major legislation through a simplistic change in regulation.
“Labor has been given no other option than to vote in favour of the Green’s disallowance motion. Labor is focused on ... making sure parliamentary process is respected.
“Lifting of the GM moratorium is a vexed issue and I have met with primary producers and their peak bodies who want to see the moratorium lifted. I have also met with and received correspondence from concerned South Australians who want our state to remain GM-free.”
SA Best MP Connie Bonaros said they would also vote to keep the ban in place.
“Our decision is not based on whether we support lifting the moratorium or whether we don’t
support the moratorium, or whether we support GM crops or whether we don’t,” she said.
“Our decision is based entirely on ensuring the due processes of Parliament are maintained.”
It comes despite Grain Producers SA strongly urging the ban be lifted to give farmers more choice and access to crop varieties they say can make copping more efficient.
This week, a group of eminent SA scientists penned an open letter saying the ban should be lifted to aid crop research and give farmers a fighting chance against drought.
The vote is expected in Parliament on Wednesday.
Mr Whetstone said: “Labor has shown its true colours with this anti-farming decision”.
“After the last election the Labor Party said they would be different and would listen to South Australia’s regional communities,” Mr Whetstone said.
“They have completely ignored the views of South Australia’s farmers and our research scientists.
“This is just another example of the Labor Party turning its back on those in the regions.
“The Labor Party continue to be a handbrake on the SA economy and this latest move will reduce our primary producers’ ability to deal with drought and the changing climate.”
It is unclear if the government will now attempt to enforce the change via legislation.