A WA MP asks the Minister for Agriculture about a WA biotech company developing salt and drought-tolerant wheat. The Minister acknowledges awareness but expresses doubt about the future of GM cereals due to regulatory hurdles and consumer concerns.

AnsweredQoN 211Legislative Council
Asked
7 April 2004
Portfolio
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

QuestionView source ↗

Last week I had a phone call from a constituent who said he had a Western Australian biotech company that had developed salt tolerant and drought tolerant wheat. (1) Does the minister know about it? (2) What will be the minister’s attitude towards it. Hon KIM CHANCE

AnswerView source ↗

(1) I am aware of the work that is being done by a Western Australian biotech company. Indeed, it was reported in the rural media a couple of weeks ago. (2) I think I have already answered a question of this nature, but I am happy to advise again that any market acceptance of genetically modified cereals will occur. Most of the work that is being done by chemical companies marketing GM technology has been around GM canola. The oil resulting from the canola, of course, has the DNA refined from it, so there are no consumer issues about people eating DNA. The reverse is true with cereals. When consuming cereals, people are eating the DNA. I think it is highly unlikely that it will ever get to the stage at which Western Australian legislation will be required to operate in the context of the GM cereal, because I very much doubt that a GM cereal type will ever pass the environmental safety and human health barriers that are administered by the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator under the authority of the commonwealth Gene Technology Act 2000.
(1) Does the minister know about it? (2) What will be the minister’s attitude towards it. Hon KIM CHANCE replied : (1) I am aware of the work that is being done by a Western Australian biotech company. Indeed, it was reported in the rural media a couple of weeks ago. (2) I think I have already answered a question of this nature, but I am happy to advise again that any market acceptance of genetically modified cereals will occur. Most of the work that is being done by chemical companies marketing GM technology has been around GM canola. The oil resulting from the canola, of course, has the DNA refined from it, so there are no consumer issues about people eating DNA. The reverse is true with cereals. When consuming cereals, people are eating the DNA. I think it is highly unlikely that it will ever get to the stage at which Western Australian legislation will be required to operate in the context of the GM cereal, because I very much doubt that a GM cereal type will ever pass the environmental safety and human health barriers that are administered by the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator under the authority of the commonwealth Gene Technology Act 2000.
(2) What will be the minister’s attitude towards it. Hon KIM CHANCE replied : (1) I am aware of the work that is being done by a Western Australian biotech company. Indeed, it was reported in the rural media a couple of weeks ago. (2) I think I have already answered a question of this nature, but I am happy to advise again that any market acceptance of genetically modified cereals will occur. Most of the work that is being done by chemical companies marketing GM technology has been around GM canola. The oil resulting from the canola, of course, has the DNA refined from it, so there are no consumer issues about people eating DNA. The reverse is true with cereals. When consuming cereals, people are eating the DNA. I think it is highly unlikely that it will ever get to the stage at which Western Australian legislation will be required to operate in the context of the GM cereal, because I very much doubt that a GM cereal type will ever pass the environmental safety and human health barriers that are administered by the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator under the authority of the commonwealth Gene Technology Act 2000.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied : (1) I am aware of the work that is being done by a Western Australian biotech company. Indeed, it was reported in the rural media a couple of weeks ago. (2) I think I have already answered a question of this nature, but I am happy to advise again that any market acceptance of genetically modified cereals will occur. Most of the work that is being done by chemical companies marketing GM technology has been around GM canola. The oil resulting from the canola, of course, has the DNA refined from it, so there are no consumer issues about people eating DNA. The reverse is true with cereals. When consuming cereals, people are eating the DNA. I think it is highly unlikely that it will ever get to the stage at which Western Australian legislation will be required to operate in the context of the GM cereal, because I very much doubt that a GM cereal type will ever pass the environmental safety and human health barriers that are administered by the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator under the authority of the commonwealth Gene Technology Act 2000.
(1) I am aware of the work that is being done by a Western Australian biotech company. Indeed, it was reported in the rural media a couple of weeks ago. (2) I think I have already answered a question of this nature, but I am happy to advise again that any market acceptance of genetically modified cereals will occur. Most of the work that is being done by chemical companies marketing GM technology has been around GM canola. The oil resulting from the canola, of course, has the DNA refined from it, so there are no consumer issues about people eating DNA. The reverse is true with cereals. When consuming cereals, people are eating the DNA. I think it is highly unlikely that it will ever get to the stage at which Western Australian legislation will be required to operate in the context of the GM cereal, because I very much doubt that a GM cereal type will ever pass the environmental safety and human health barriers that are administered by the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator under the authority of the commonwealth Gene Technology Act 2000.
(2) I think I have already answered a question of this nature, but I am happy to advise again that any market acceptance of genetically modified cereals will occur. Most of the work that is being done by chemical companies marketing GM technology has been around GM canola. The oil resulting from the canola, of course, has the DNA refined from it, so there are no consumer issues about people eating DNA. The reverse is true with cereals. When consuming cereals, people are eating the DNA. I think it is highly unlikely that it will ever get to the stage at which Western Australian legislation will be required to operate in the context of the GM cereal, because I very much doubt that a GM cereal type will ever pass the environmental safety and human health barriers that are administered by the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator under the authority of the commonwealth Gene Technology Act 2000.

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