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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 364 asked in the Legislative Council on 19 May 2011 by Hon Lynn Maclaren

Parliament: 38 Session: 1


GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS — SENSITIVE SITES


364. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the minister representing the Minister for Agriculture and Food:

I refer to the WA Department of Agriculture and Food’s sensitive sites register.

(1) Why were some organic growers given only three days to register their properties as sensitive sites?

(2) Given that all non-GM farmers, not just organic ones, potentially stand to lose premiums and market access due to GM contamination, will these farmers also be given the opportunity to register their farms as sensitive sites?

(3) At a recent forum in Manjimup, DAFWA’s executive director, David Bowran, suggested that GM farmers could sue organic farmers for lost income for having to put in place buffer zones. Is the intent of the sensitive sites register to facilitate such legal action?

Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied:

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.

(1) Three days is not correct. Between 30 March 2011 and 1 April 2011 the Department of Agriculture and Food sent 1 378 letters to growers asking them to verify their property details and register their property. DAFWA accepted registrations until 3 May 2011.

(2) There is no known evidence of premiums being lost in Western Australia where the adventitious presence of GM is less than 0.9 per cent in non­GM crops but, rather, it is enhanced as a result of GM canola being introduced. As defined on the Sensitive Sites WA webpage, any grower with a property that its owner and DAFWA consider to have a legitimate need for registration as a sensitive site may register their property.

(3) The Sensitive Sites WA service aims to assist growers to prepare risk assessment and risk mitigation plans in consultation with neighbours so as to protect legitimate sensitive agricultural production systems.