State Government to introduce regulations removing moratorium on GM crops in South Australia

The SA Government has pulled off a tactical manoeuvre that will allow it to lift a moratorium on GM crops in SA, without the need to pass legislation. But the Greens have vowed to bring in a disallowance motion in February.

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Farmers on mainland South Australia will have access to genetically modified crops from January 1, but that right could be taken away by the following month.

The State Government on Thursday introduced new regulations to lift the moratorium from Janaury 1 but Greens MLC Mark Parnell has vowed to bring a disallowance motion as soon as Parliament returns in February.

The move comes just weeks after State Parliament rejected laws to lift a moratorium on GM crops.

Primary Industries Minister Tim Whetstone said the move was aimed at allowing SA “farmers to make decisions ahead of the 2020 growing season and give them more tools to grow the economy and create jobs”.

The regulations were published on Thursday in the last Government Gazette this year.

To overturn the regulations crossbenchers and Labor will have to disallow the regulations when they return to parliament next year.

“For 15 long years our farmers and research scientists have suffered under a moratorium which has cost real money, denied progress and put a handbrake on our economy,” Mr Whetstone said.

“Lifting the GM crop moratorium will give our farmers the same opportunities as farmers in our neighbouring states which will increase productivity and create jobs.”

Mr Parnell said moving the disallowance of the new regulations will be the Greens first item of business when Parliament resumes.

“Having been twice defeated in the Legislative Council, the Minister has instead decided to unilaterally introduce regulations that he must know are likely to be disallowed again next year,” he said.

“This doesn’t provide any certainty to farmers, who would be very unwise to assume that Parliament will simply ignore serious concerns raised by MPs about GM contamination and liability. If the Minister thinks that showing contempt for Parliament is the best way to influence the outcome, he is likely to come a cropper for the third time when Parliament resumes in February.”

SA-Best MLC Frank Pangallo said the party would be using the next couple of months to develop their own Bill on GM.

“SA-BEST will not oppose GM crops but wants the government to consider a safety net for those who don’t want to grow GM crops,” he said.

Crop Science Society of SA president Craig Davis said the process had been “very much a rollercoaster”.

“The society is asking for clarity and consistency, so we know the position going forward and so farmers can be confident in ordering seed and research investment can be made for the benefit of SA,” he said.

Eudunda farmer Anthony Pfitzner recently took to the steps of Parliament House with his family to call for the GM ban to be lifted.

“We need to keep up with the rest of Australia,” he said.

“There hasn’t been issues interstate - there are still organic farms and grain is still going into overseas markets,” he said.

Grain Producers SA has cautiously welcomed the new regulations, with chairman Wade Dabinett saying the organisation just wants to see certainty for growers.

“South Australian growers aren’t interested in political game playing; they just want the choice to access world-leading genetics and get on with the job of feeding the world,” he said.