❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses concerns about the spread of genetically modified canola, its impact on non-GM crops, and the potential cost burden on local governments. The Minister acknowledges the issues and outlines government actions.
AnsweredQoN 776Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
GENETICALLY MODIFIED CANOLA
(1) Is the minister aware of the citizen science survey results from the Esperance region released today by the Conservation Council of Western Australia, which found that road transport will spread genetically modified plants over vast areas? (2) Is the minister aware that the recent GM canola spill in Williams resulted in the germination of hundreds of GM canola plants? (3) What action will the WA government take to protect farmers’ non-GM canola crops from potential GM contamination by weedy GM canola plants? (4) Is the minister aware of claims that Main Roads and the Wheatbelt shires will potentially inherit the cost and legal responsibility for fugitive GM canola on road reserves? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY
(1) Is the minister aware of the citizen science survey results from the Esperance region released today by the Conservation Council of Western Australia, which found that road transport will spread genetically modified plants over vast areas? (2) Is the minister aware that the recent GM canola spill in Williams resulted in the germination of hundreds of GM canola plants? (3) What action will the WA government take to protect farmers’ non-GM canola crops from potential GM contamination by weedy GM canola plants? (4) Is the minister aware of claims that Main Roads and the Wheatbelt shires will potentially inherit the cost and legal responsibility for fugitive GM canola on road reserves? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. Canola plants have been growing on roadsides in Western Australia since 1996, the year of the first widespread canola plantings. As GM canola is now planted in WA, it is not unexpected that there will be GM canola volunteers on roadsides. (2) I am aware of media reports of germination of seeds from the spill. It would be expected that viable GM seed will germinate given appropriate rainfall conditions. Co-operative Bulk Handling has implemented a site management plan which incorporates both the clean-up and monitoring of the site and will include control of volunteers. (3) The government has ensured that appropriate permits are in place to allow for effective control of GM canola on roadsides. The Department of Agriculture and Food has provided local governments with a fact sheet outlining the options for control of GM canola. (4) Yes.
(2) Is the minister aware that the recent GM canola spill in Williams resulted in the germination of hundreds of GM canola plants? (3) What action will the WA government take to protect farmers’ non-GM canola crops from potential GM contamination by weedy GM canola plants? (4) Is the minister aware of claims that Main Roads and the Wheatbelt shires will potentially inherit the cost and legal responsibility for fugitive GM canola on road reserves? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. Canola plants have been growing on roadsides in Western Australia since 1996, the year of the first widespread canola plantings. As GM canola is now planted in WA, it is not unexpected that there will be GM canola volunteers on roadsides. (2) I am aware of media reports of germination of seeds from the spill. It would be expected that viable GM seed will germinate given appropriate rainfall conditions. Co-operative Bulk Handling has implemented a site management plan which incorporates both the clean-up and monitoring of the site and will include control of volunteers. (3) The government has ensured that appropriate permits are in place to allow for effective control of GM canola on roadsides. The Department of Agriculture and Food has provided local governments with a fact sheet outlining the options for control of GM canola. (4) Yes.
(3) What action will the WA government take to protect farmers’ non-GM canola crops from potential GM contamination by weedy GM canola plants? (4) Is the minister aware of claims that Main Roads and the Wheatbelt shires will potentially inherit the cost and legal responsibility for fugitive GM canola on road reserves? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. Canola plants have been growing on roadsides in Western Australia since 1996, the year of the first widespread canola plantings. As GM canola is now planted in WA, it is not unexpected that there will be GM canola volunteers on roadsides. (2) I am aware of media reports of germination of seeds from the spill. It would be expected that viable GM seed will germinate given appropriate rainfall conditions. Co-operative Bulk Handling has implemented a site management plan which incorporates both the clean-up and monitoring of the site and will include control of volunteers. (3) The government has ensured that appropriate permits are in place to allow for effective control of GM canola on roadsides. The Department of Agriculture and Food has provided local governments with a fact sheet outlining the options for control of GM canola. (4) Yes.
(4) Is the minister aware of claims that Main Roads and the Wheatbelt shires will potentially inherit the cost and legal responsibility for fugitive GM canola on road reserves? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. Canola plants have been growing on roadsides in Western Australia since 1996, the year of the first widespread canola plantings. As GM canola is now planted in WA, it is not unexpected that there will be GM canola volunteers on roadsides. (2) I am aware of media reports of germination of seeds from the spill. It would be expected that viable GM seed will germinate given appropriate rainfall conditions. Co-operative Bulk Handling has implemented a site management plan which incorporates both the clean-up and monitoring of the site and will include control of volunteers. (3) The government has ensured that appropriate permits are in place to allow for effective control of GM canola on roadsides. The Department of Agriculture and Food has provided local governments with a fact sheet outlining the options for control of GM canola. (4) Yes.
Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. Canola plants have been growing on roadsides in Western Australia since 1996, the year of the first widespread canola plantings. As GM canola is now planted in WA, it is not unexpected that there will be GM canola volunteers on roadsides. (2) I am aware of media reports of germination of seeds from the spill. It would be expected that viable GM seed will germinate given appropriate rainfall conditions. Co-operative Bulk Handling has implemented a site management plan which incorporates both the clean-up and monitoring of the site and will include control of volunteers. (3) The government has ensured that appropriate permits are in place to allow for effective control of GM canola on roadsides. The Department of Agriculture and Food has provided local governments with a fact sheet outlining the options for control of GM canola. (4) Yes.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. Canola plants have been growing on roadsides in Western Australia since 1996, the year of the first widespread canola plantings. As GM canola is now planted in WA, it is not unexpected that there will be GM canola volunteers on roadsides. (2) I am aware of media reports of germination of seeds from the spill. It would be expected that viable GM seed will germinate given appropriate rainfall conditions. Co-operative Bulk Handling has implemented a site management plan which incorporates both the clean-up and monitoring of the site and will include control of volunteers. (3) The government has ensured that appropriate permits are in place to allow for effective control of GM canola on roadsides. The Department of Agriculture and Food has provided local governments with a fact sheet outlining the options for control of GM canola. (4) Yes.
(1) Yes. Canola plants have been growing on roadsides in Western Australia since 1996, the year of the first widespread canola plantings. As GM canola is now planted in WA, it is not unexpected that there will be GM canola volunteers on roadsides. (2) I am aware of media reports of germination of seeds from the spill. It would be expected that viable GM seed will germinate given appropriate rainfall conditions. Co-operative Bulk Handling has implemented a site management plan which incorporates both the clean-up and monitoring of the site and will include control of volunteers. (3) The government has ensured that appropriate permits are in place to allow for effective control of GM canola on roadsides. The Department of Agriculture and Food has provided local governments with a fact sheet outlining the options for control of GM canola. (4) Yes.
(2) I am aware of media reports of germination of seeds from the spill. It would be expected that viable GM seed will germinate given appropriate rainfall conditions. Co-operative Bulk Handling has implemented a site management plan which incorporates both the clean-up and monitoring of the site and will include control of volunteers. (3) The government has ensured that appropriate permits are in place to allow for effective control of GM canola on roadsides. The Department of Agriculture and Food has provided local governments with a fact sheet outlining the options for control of GM canola. (4) Yes.
(3) The government has ensured that appropriate permits are in place to allow for effective control of GM canola on roadsides. The Department of Agriculture and Food has provided local governments with a fact sheet outlining the options for control of GM canola. (4) Yes.
(4) Yes.
(2) Is the minister aware that the recent GM canola spill in Williams resulted in the germination of hundreds of GM canola plants? (3) What action will the WA government take to protect farmers’ non-GM canola crops from potential GM contamination by weedy GM canola plants? (4) Is the minister aware of claims that Main Roads and the Wheatbelt shires will potentially inherit the cost and legal responsibility for fugitive GM canola on road reserves? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. Canola plants have been growing on roadsides in Western Australia since 1996, the year of the first widespread canola plantings. As GM canola is now planted in WA, it is not unexpected that there will be GM canola volunteers on roadsides. (2) I am aware of media reports of germination of seeds from the spill. It would be expected that viable GM seed will germinate given appropriate rainfall conditions. Co-operative Bulk Handling has implemented a site management plan which incorporates both the clean-up and monitoring of the site and will include control of volunteers. (3) The government has ensured that appropriate permits are in place to allow for effective control of GM canola on roadsides. The Department of Agriculture and Food has provided local governments with a fact sheet outlining the options for control of GM canola. (4) Yes.
(3) What action will the WA government take to protect farmers’ non-GM canola crops from potential GM contamination by weedy GM canola plants? (4) Is the minister aware of claims that Main Roads and the Wheatbelt shires will potentially inherit the cost and legal responsibility for fugitive GM canola on road reserves? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. Canola plants have been growing on roadsides in Western Australia since 1996, the year of the first widespread canola plantings. As GM canola is now planted in WA, it is not unexpected that there will be GM canola volunteers on roadsides. (2) I am aware of media reports of germination of seeds from the spill. It would be expected that viable GM seed will germinate given appropriate rainfall conditions. Co-operative Bulk Handling has implemented a site management plan which incorporates both the clean-up and monitoring of the site and will include control of volunteers. (3) The government has ensured that appropriate permits are in place to allow for effective control of GM canola on roadsides. The Department of Agriculture and Food has provided local governments with a fact sheet outlining the options for control of GM canola. (4) Yes.
(4) Is the minister aware of claims that Main Roads and the Wheatbelt shires will potentially inherit the cost and legal responsibility for fugitive GM canola on road reserves? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. Canola plants have been growing on roadsides in Western Australia since 1996, the year of the first widespread canola plantings. As GM canola is now planted in WA, it is not unexpected that there will be GM canola volunteers on roadsides. (2) I am aware of media reports of germination of seeds from the spill. It would be expected that viable GM seed will germinate given appropriate rainfall conditions. Co-operative Bulk Handling has implemented a site management plan which incorporates both the clean-up and monitoring of the site and will include control of volunteers. (3) The government has ensured that appropriate permits are in place to allow for effective control of GM canola on roadsides. The Department of Agriculture and Food has provided local governments with a fact sheet outlining the options for control of GM canola. (4) Yes.
Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. Canola plants have been growing on roadsides in Western Australia since 1996, the year of the first widespread canola plantings. As GM canola is now planted in WA, it is not unexpected that there will be GM canola volunteers on roadsides. (2) I am aware of media reports of germination of seeds from the spill. It would be expected that viable GM seed will germinate given appropriate rainfall conditions. Co-operative Bulk Handling has implemented a site management plan which incorporates both the clean-up and monitoring of the site and will include control of volunteers. (3) The government has ensured that appropriate permits are in place to allow for effective control of GM canola on roadsides. The Department of Agriculture and Food has provided local governments with a fact sheet outlining the options for control of GM canola. (4) Yes.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. Canola plants have been growing on roadsides in Western Australia since 1996, the year of the first widespread canola plantings. As GM canola is now planted in WA, it is not unexpected that there will be GM canola volunteers on roadsides. (2) I am aware of media reports of germination of seeds from the spill. It would be expected that viable GM seed will germinate given appropriate rainfall conditions. Co-operative Bulk Handling has implemented a site management plan which incorporates both the clean-up and monitoring of the site and will include control of volunteers. (3) The government has ensured that appropriate permits are in place to allow for effective control of GM canola on roadsides. The Department of Agriculture and Food has provided local governments with a fact sheet outlining the options for control of GM canola. (4) Yes.
(1) Yes. Canola plants have been growing on roadsides in Western Australia since 1996, the year of the first widespread canola plantings. As GM canola is now planted in WA, it is not unexpected that there will be GM canola volunteers on roadsides. (2) I am aware of media reports of germination of seeds from the spill. It would be expected that viable GM seed will germinate given appropriate rainfall conditions. Co-operative Bulk Handling has implemented a site management plan which incorporates both the clean-up and monitoring of the site and will include control of volunteers. (3) The government has ensured that appropriate permits are in place to allow for effective control of GM canola on roadsides. The Department of Agriculture and Food has provided local governments with a fact sheet outlining the options for control of GM canola. (4) Yes.
(2) I am aware of media reports of germination of seeds from the spill. It would be expected that viable GM seed will germinate given appropriate rainfall conditions. Co-operative Bulk Handling has implemented a site management plan which incorporates both the clean-up and monitoring of the site and will include control of volunteers. (3) The government has ensured that appropriate permits are in place to allow for effective control of GM canola on roadsides. The Department of Agriculture and Food has provided local governments with a fact sheet outlining the options for control of GM canola. (4) Yes.
(3) The government has ensured that appropriate permits are in place to allow for effective control of GM canola on roadsides. The Department of Agriculture and Food has provided local governments with a fact sheet outlining the options for control of GM canola. (4) Yes.
(4) Yes.
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