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AFUW-ACT
Inc. Meeting Report
Topic: Genetic Modification
Speaker: Britt Maxwell
The speaker at our second evening meeting for 2004 was our new committee
member, Britt Maxwell. She is the Director of Biotechnology Policy for
the Australian Government, working in the Department of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Forestry. Britt holds a B.Sc and a law degree from the
Macquarie University. She is currently studying (part-time) for a Master's
degree in Law at Another thesis topic allied to her present interests
in Gene Technology.
Britt gave us an expansive talk on Gene Modified Organisms starting
with natural mutations in plants and animals - a phenomenon that has
been with us since the inception of time. This phenomenon, along with
the more recent and controlled gene-induced modification, causes an
alteration in plants and animals and a permanent change that is passed
on to their progeny. With gene modification of organisms there are both
risks and benefits for society and the environment. Some plants, especially
maize, soy beans, wheat, barley, cotton and canola can benefit from
the insertion of specific genes that increase crop yield, that lower
the use of herbicides and pesticides and that increase resistance to
insects. New industries can be created using gene modification but at
present this technique is used only in the USA, Australia, and the industrialized
countries of the world. Australia has only 3 crops approved for gene
modification - cotton, carnations and canola from 2003.At present though
all Australian states except Queensland (where canola growing is a marginal
crop), want to delay large trials of gene-modified canola until 2005-6.
This latter move probably reflects the general community attitude and
values, whereby there is still only 40-50% approval for the use of gene-modified
products in food and drinks.
However the Australian Government has a system of informed committees,
which strictly regulate all programs involving gene modification. These
protect the health and safety of people and the environment and so should
assure us that there is no danger to us.
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