❓ Hon Giz Watson questions the Minister for Agriculture and Food regarding meetings with Monsanto and other GM crop seed producers, following up on previous inquiries about Monsanto's investment in InterGrain. The Minister acknowledges a previously undisclosed meeting due to an administrative oversight and details other meetings with GM crop seed producers.
AnsweredQoN 495Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
INTERGRAIN PTY LTD —
MONSANTO INVESTMENT
495. Hon GIZ WATSON to the minister representing the
Minister for Agriculture and Food:
I refer to my question asked on 2 December 2010 about Monsanto's
19.9 per cent investment in InterGrain Pty Ltd in August 2010. I also refer to
a question asked in the other place by the member for Warnbro, Mr Paul Papalia,
on 1 May 2012.
(1) Will the
minister confirm whether he or members of his staff met with representatives of
Monsanto on 17 May 2010?
(2) If yes to
(1), will the minister explain why this meeting was not included in answer to
the member for Warnbro's question on 1 May 2012?
(3) Are there
any other meetings that the minister or members of his staff have had with
representatives of producers or suppliers of genetically modified crop seed
since September 2008 that the minister has not previously disclosed?
(4) During the
period September 2008 to the present day, will the minister again confirm on
which occasions he or members of his staff met with representatives of
producers or suppliers of GM crop seed, including —
(a) the names
of the producers or suppliers with whom the minister or his staff met;
(b) in the
case of staff members, the names and roles of the staff members who met with GM
producers or suppliers;
(c) the dates and times of the
meetings, and
(d) the purpose of the meetings?
MONSANTO INVESTMENT
495. Hon GIZ WATSON to the minister representing the
Minister for Agriculture and Food:
I refer to my question asked on 2 December 2010 about Monsanto's
19.9 per cent investment in InterGrain Pty Ltd in August 2010. I also refer to
a question asked in the other place by the member for Warnbro, Mr Paul Papalia,
on 1 May 2012.
(1) Will the
minister confirm whether he or members of his staff met with representatives of
Monsanto on 17 May 2010?
(2) If yes to
(1), will the minister explain why this meeting was not included in answer to
the member for Warnbro's question on 1 May 2012?
(3) Are there
any other meetings that the minister or members of his staff have had with
representatives of producers or suppliers of genetically modified crop seed
since September 2008 that the minister has not previously disclosed?
(4) During the
period September 2008 to the present day, will the minister again confirm on
which occasions he or members of his staff met with representatives of
producers or suppliers of GM crop seed, including —
(a) the names
of the producers or suppliers with whom the minister or his staff met;
(b) in the
case of staff members, the names and roles of the staff members who met with GM
producers or suppliers;
(c) the dates and times of the
meetings, and
(d) the purpose of the meetings?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for her question.
(1) Yes.
(2) The
minister's diary does not record the minister meeting with Monsanto
representatives on this date. However, it does record a meeting with
representatives of InterGrain. The minister's diary indicates the
Director General of the Department of Agriculture and Food and the minister's
chief of staff were present. Further inquiries have confirmed that Jennifer
Ozimkiewicz of Monsanto was also present at the meeting. When the meeting was
first arranged, only InterGrain representatives were scheduled to attend. Ms Ozimkiewicz
was a late addition to the meeting and her presence was not recorded in the
minister's diary. This was an administrative oversight.
(3) No.
(4) The
minister can confirm meeting with producers and suppliers of GM crop seed, as
defined in Legislative Assembly question on notice 7377, on seven occasions.
Meeting 1 —
(a) Monsanto Australia Ltd;
(b) Minister
Redman; Steve Thomas, policy adviser; Nicole Fernandes, policy adviser; Scott
Mitchell, chief of staff;
(c) on 5 November 2008 at 2.00 pm;
and
(d) general briefing on GM canola.
Meeting 2 —
(a) Cargill Australia;
(b) Minister Redman; Nicole
Fernandes, policy adviser; Scott Mitchell, chief of staff;
(c) on 28 January 2009 at 12.30 pm;
and
(d) the future of the Grain
Licensing Authority in WA.
Meeting 3 —
(a) Bayer CropScience;
(b) Minister Redman; Nicole
Fernandes, policy adviser; Scott Mitchell, chief of staff;
(c) on 4 November 2009 at 9.30 am;
and
(d) general briefing on the
development of GM technology.
Meeting 4 —
(a) InterGrain, Monsanto;
(b) Minister Redman; Scott Mitchell,
chief of staff;
(c) on 17 May 2010 at 2.00 pm; and
(d) briefing on Monsanto
investment in InterGrain.
Meeting 5 —
(a) Nuseed, Pacific Seeds; Canola
Breeders Western Australia; Pioneer Hi-Bred;
(b) Minister Redman; Julian
Breheny, policy adviser;
(c) on 17 May 2010 at 5.15 pm; and
(d) general discussion about
grains industry.
Meeting 6 —
(a) Syngenta Asia–Pacific;
(b) Minister Redman; Scott
Mitchell, chief of staff;
(c) on 24 February 2011 at 11.45 am;
and
(d) general briefing on the
development of GM technology.
Meeting 7 —
(a) Monsanto Australia Ltd;
(b) Minister Redman; Scott
Mitchell, chief of staff; and Jamie Henderson, policy adviser;
(c) on 24 February 2011 at 3.00 pm;
and
(d) general briefing on the development
of GM technology.
But it does not say here what he
had for breakfast that morning.
(1) Yes.
(2) The
minister's diary does not record the minister meeting with Monsanto
representatives on this date. However, it does record a meeting with
representatives of InterGrain. The minister's diary indicates the
Director General of the Department of Agriculture and Food and the minister's
chief of staff were present. Further inquiries have confirmed that Jennifer
Ozimkiewicz of Monsanto was also present at the meeting. When the meeting was
first arranged, only InterGrain representatives were scheduled to attend. Ms Ozimkiewicz
was a late addition to the meeting and her presence was not recorded in the
minister's diary. This was an administrative oversight.
(3) No.
(4) The
minister can confirm meeting with producers and suppliers of GM crop seed, as
defined in Legislative Assembly question on notice 7377, on seven occasions.
Meeting 1 —
(a) Monsanto Australia Ltd;
(b) Minister
Redman; Steve Thomas, policy adviser; Nicole Fernandes, policy adviser; Scott
Mitchell, chief of staff;
(c) on 5 November 2008 at 2.00 pm;
and
(d) general briefing on GM canola.
Meeting 2 —
(a) Cargill Australia;
(b) Minister Redman; Nicole
Fernandes, policy adviser; Scott Mitchell, chief of staff;
(c) on 28 January 2009 at 12.30 pm;
and
(d) the future of the Grain
Licensing Authority in WA.
Meeting 3 —
(a) Bayer CropScience;
(b) Minister Redman; Nicole
Fernandes, policy adviser; Scott Mitchell, chief of staff;
(c) on 4 November 2009 at 9.30 am;
and
(d) general briefing on the
development of GM technology.
Meeting 4 —
(a) InterGrain, Monsanto;
(b) Minister Redman; Scott Mitchell,
chief of staff;
(c) on 17 May 2010 at 2.00 pm; and
(d) briefing on Monsanto
investment in InterGrain.
Meeting 5 —
(a) Nuseed, Pacific Seeds; Canola
Breeders Western Australia; Pioneer Hi-Bred;
(b) Minister Redman; Julian
Breheny, policy adviser;
(c) on 17 May 2010 at 5.15 pm; and
(d) general discussion about
grains industry.
Meeting 6 —
(a) Syngenta Asia–Pacific;
(b) Minister Redman; Scott
Mitchell, chief of staff;
(c) on 24 February 2011 at 11.45 am;
and
(d) general briefing on the
development of GM technology.
Meeting 7 —
(a) Monsanto Australia Ltd;
(b) Minister Redman; Scott
Mitchell, chief of staff; and Jamie Henderson, policy adviser;
(c) on 24 February 2011 at 3.00 pm;
and
(d) general briefing on the development
of GM technology.
But it does not say here what he
had for breakfast that morning.
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