AROUND 30 local protesters journeyed from Margaret River to the anti GM rally in Perth last week.
The rally saw hundreds of people turn out in the heat, including many angry Non GM farmers who had brought their grain trucks and utes covered in belligerent banners.
One vehicle had emblazoned across it: “Hey Terry, take your GM food and ram it”.
The rally began with a chant “No No to GMO, Terry Redman has to go.”
Strong speeches were delivered by Josh Byrne, Mick Murray, Giz Watson and several farmers.
Julie Newman from Concerned Farmers spoke despite being on crutches.
She called for Terry Redman’s sacking over his “reckless decision” to allow GM.
She pointed out that the Minister was describing the trials as a success when they didn’t prove any yield advantage and even though the trials were strictly controlled, no less than 11 “contamination events” occurred out of 17 trials.
We were reminded by the speakers that the Minister, in deciding to release GM, has ignored a 27,000 signature petition, the largest number of signatures ever presented to Parliament on any issue.
He has ignored the calls to continue the moratorium by 90 per cent of the more than 400 submissions to his own review of WA’s GM Crops Free Areas Act.
He ignored the majority of shires in his own electorate who are declared GM-free zones.
He ignored evidence from overseas and interstate that GM contamination is inevitable and he ignored associated issues of risk management.
He ignored the Japanese market that has requested GM-free canola.
He ignored the continuing bans on GM food in the European Union.
He ignored the protests in India against GM crops.
He ignored changing trends in China which is expanding organic farming.
And although a Slow Food member, he ignored Carlo Petrini and the Slow Food policy to reject GM.
Julie Newman was angry that Kim Chance’s review panel findings were ignored and that Mr Redman did not wait for the report on the current review of Australia’s food labelling laws which allow many GM foods to avoid labelling.
He also did not wait for Dr Judy Carman’s report on health trials with animals fed GM feed.
Said farmer Jo Fowler, “Mr Redman knows that there are public concerns about the safety of GM foods.
“He knows that FSANZ does no testing, but approves GM applications based only on data supplied to it by industry with vested interests.
“He knows that because GM canola seed is patented, there has been very few independent health trials with animals and there has been no human studies conducted.
“Yet, he deflects questions and responsibility on the health safety of GM food, stating that health is a Federal issue.”
Farmer Janette Liddlelow called it irresponsible to allow GM food to be grown when it is of questionable health safety, and when inadequate labelling laws help GM ingredients avoid detection, traceability and the ability to recall.
The Minister did take to the microphone but his speech was this time drowned out by heckling and slow clapping.
The Minister hurried inside through the big glass doors of Parliament House.
Clearly the public are outraged and out of patience with a minister behaving as a dictator.
Until we stop GMOs, we will continue to protest.
We will go back and back if necessary, because you can’t give up the fight for your children to eat safe food, and you can’t let Monsanto, recently rated last out of 581 in an ethical ranking, take over our farms and our Government.
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