Question Without Notice No. 1106 asked in the Legislative Council on 12 November 2009 by Hon Lynn Maclaren
Parliament: 38 Session: 1
Genetically Modified Crops — ECONOMIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT
1106. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the minister representing the Minister for Agriculture and Food:
(1) Can the minister confirm that the state government has responsibility for assessing the likely economic impacts of the introduction of genetically modified crops on the state?
(2) Does the Department of Agriculture and Food or its partnerships or alliance companies, such as InterGrain, stand to gain financially from the introduction of genetically modified crops?
Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied:
I thank the member for some notice of this question.
(1) The Department of Agriculture and Food undertakes analysis on the impact of new technology on the state, which may include genetically modified crops. Farmers make their own assessments as to the likely impact on their farm businesses.
(2) The Department of Agriculture and Food would not gain financially from the introduction of genetically modified crops. InterGrain and other crop breeding companies are investigating genetically modified technology as part of collaborations with national research centres. It is not possible to speculate on any financial gains they might obtain if genetically modified crops were to be introduced into Western Australia.