Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

As the minister said, these are procedural. We will be supporting these amendments. However, that is with the proviso that our other amendments get supported when we come to make a decision on the third reading.

The CHAIRMAN: The question is that government amendments (1) and (2) on sheet GB124 be agreed to.

Question agreed to.

by leave—I move Greens amendments (1), (2) and (3) on sheet 7774 together:

(1) Schedule 1, item 1, page 3 (after line 13), after paragraph (b) of the definition of appropriate government agency, insert:

  (ba) the Gene Technology Regulator; or

(2) Schedule 1, item 4, page 3 (lines 24 to 29), omit the item, substitute:

4 Subsection 4(1) (definition of New Zealand lead Minister on the Council )

  Repeal the definition.

(3) Schedule 1, item 11, page 4 (lines 25 and 26), to be opposed.

I have covered the details of these amendments, so I do not intend to delay the chamber too long in explaining these again. I did cover the reasons for these amendments in my second reading contribution. We are deeply concerned about what impact removing the Gene Technology Regulator as an appropriate government agency would have in decision making and, in particular, in the process of how GM and GMO products are addressed by FSANZ and by the OGTR. These amendments, we believe, are important amendments that maintain the integrity of the current process. I do also appreciate that we will have to put them separately to the chamber.

I want to take a minute while I am on my feet to address some comments that Senator Macdonald made during his—let's say—wide-ranging contribution to this debate. It crossed my mind to raise a point of order because he went so far off the reservation and, in fact, so far away from the intent of this particular bill, to once again have a go at the Pew organisation and to have yet another go at marine protection, making completely false statements about the Greens position on fishing. I would clearly like to say that he was clearly making false statements and what he said was in fact not true—particularly the comments that he made about the Greens position on GMOs. Let me just be really clear that he was in fact not quoting Senator Di Natale correctly, and let me make sure that people are aware that the Greens' policy was amended last year. There will not be any further amendments and we are not in any discussions about any changes to our current policy on this matter. Let me reassure the community on that, and let Senator Macdonald know that he has it wrong.

Having said that, this matter does particularly relate to the protections and measures that need to be maintained in order to ensure that GMO content of our foods is properly regulated. I do commend these amendments to the chamber.