Ban on GM crops in SA to stay in place after State Government fails to pass legislation through Upper House
Genetically modified crops will remain banned in South Australia, after the State Government rejected “unworkable” safeguards proposed by SA Best in return for support.
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The growing of GM crops will remain banned in SA, after the State Government rejected “unworkable” safeguards demanded by SA Best.
The Labor Opposition, Greens and SA Best combined on Tuesday afternoon to prevent further debate of the controversial plan in the Upper House.
It came after conflicting speeches between SA Best MPs Frank Pangallo and colleague Connie Bonaros.
The government rejected demands for a regime to compensate farmers affected by possible contamination, say it was “unworkable”.
Earlier on Tuesday Mr Pangallo told the Upper House he wanted safeguards including a way for non-GM farmers to be compensated for contamination, but supported more access to the technology.
He slammed “fake news” and misinformation about the science of GM, including “poppycock” reports of “Frankenstein cows” that produced human milk.
Mr Pangallo said he had been moved by “powerful” calls from farmers who wanted to embrace the “exciting” capabilities of GM crops.
“The doubters still proliferate, along with pseudoscience believers,” he told parliament.
“I’ll give you one example of fake news or information that abounds. At a meeting with some constituents last week, one handed me a clipping. The heading was ‘There are Frankenstein cows’, cows that produce human milk. This is alarmist poppycock not backed by science.”
SA Best are also seeking a review after three years if the ban is lifted.
In a fiery speech in the afternoon session, Ms Bonaros said she and Mr Pangallo had “thrashed” the issue out “more than I care to think about”.
She said: “If your business folds through contamination, there’s no coming back”.
Treasurer Rob Lucas said any attempt to delay further debate until the new year was a “mealy mouthed” attempt to lift the GM ban.
Mr Lucas said safeguards demanded by SA Best would make the Government’s legislation “completely unworkable”.
“We are not prepared to compromise on the essential principles,” he said. “This is just, again, another attempt to defeat the Bill.”
Independent MP John Darley spoke briefly, reiterating his earlier backing for lifting the GM ban.
Parliament had been recalled this week for unexpected sittings to deal with the GM issue ahead of the canola planting season in the new year.
The State Government earlier said it would snub a Labor offer to help lift SA’s ban, but only in communities that want it.
Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas told The Advertiser he wants to work with the State Government over summer to come up with a plan which would allow farmers who want the benefits of GM crops to get it, but protect those paid a premium for being GM-free.
However, Mr Marshall rejected the plan as one of the stupidest ideas he’s ever heard.
Labor has been divided on the fundamental issue of allowing GM crops everywhere in SA but Kangaroo Island, after having imposed and extended the ban when in power, and it has opposed the government on “process” grounds.
Mr Malinauskas said simply lifting the ban was a “blunt instrument”, and he called for the unique voices of local councils and communities to be heard.
“The best way to do this, in a way that gets the right policy outcome, is to do it in a bipartisan way with the government over the summer break,” he said.
“It’s less than desirable to be seeking to rush legislation through without an opportunity to consult and engage.
“We want to achieve the right outcome that allows broadacre farmers, particularly those that want access to GM canola technology, to get what they want; but at the same time not do that at the expense of communities in SA that enjoy the benefit of GM-free status.
“We think a more sophisticated model can be developed.”
Mr Malinauskas said he was proposing a fix where councils could opt-in to keep their existing GM-free status, ahead of a time when the moratorium would be lifted elsewhere.
He said an agreed position that could pass Parliament should then be voted on next year.
Mr Malinauskas said he had no doubts about the science behind GM, but understood there were growers who believed they gained a market advantage from being GM-free.
Mr Marshall, speaking on FIVEaa Radio on Tuesday morning, said: “I’ve heard of some pretty stupid ideas in my time but this one would have to take the cake”.
“I mean, Labor is in all sorts of pain on this issue, absolutely all sorts of pain,” the Premier said.
“We’re very clear. We’re backing the farmers, we’re backing science.
“We want this to go through Parliament today. Labor are just wanting to delay it till next year, and then they’re wanting to put the decision-making to another level of government.
“Give me a break. This is all because Peter Malinauskas can’t stand up to Leon Bignell.”
Mr Bignell is a senior Labor MP and former agriculture minister who has been a strong supporter of keeping the ban on grounds it gives SA a market edge.
The Opposition is also offering the crossbench the chance to work on its opt-in model.
Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister Tim Whetstone has warned any delay will deny farmers the time to prepare for the planting of GM canola crops in the new year.
In Parliament last week, Mr Whetstone said SA was the only mainland state with a GM ban.
“This reform is long overdue. It has been 15 years that SA has had the handbrake on it,” he said.
“Not every farmer wants to be a GM farmer, not every farmer wants to be a non-GM farmer, but it’s giving our primary sector the ability to get out there and be more competitive.”
Grain Producers SA has been strongly advocating the lifting of the ban, and five eminent agricultural scientists last month penned an open letter saying the technology was needed to tackle the changing climate and give farmers a “fighting chance” amid drought.
To get the changes without Labor support, Mr Whetstone needed backing from SA Best and Mr Darley.
Meanwhile, farmers have taken to Twitter to try to win support for the government plan.
GPSA is behind the #backtheGMbill campaign, which features about 20 videos, and each has attracted up to 10,000 views. Growers from as far as Kimba on the Eyre Peninsula and down to Lameroo in the Mallee have posted videos, mostly while out harvesting.
GPSA chairman Wade Dabinett said the GM debate was playing out right in the middle of harvest, making Twitter a great vehicles for making farmers’ views known.
“It’s a real grassroots campaign of farmers talking directly to the community saying ‘we need to get this done’,” Mr Dabinett said. “It’s really a call to arms, especially because a lot of misleading claims have been made in this debate.”
Geranium farmer Adam Morgan said research in SA was being hamstrung by the GM ban.
“The GM bill is not about RoundupReady canola, it’s about the opportunity GM brings for plant breeders and keeping SA farmers competitive,” he said.