Instead of running to the media and spinning yet another ineffective attempt to use national advertising in a campaign to scare teenagers away from binge drinking, the Rudd Government should be forsaking the temptation to treat public policy as mere media moments and start quietly beavering away across all the issues that face Australia in 2008.
The genetically modified crop debate is one of those contentious issues which need to be resolved forthwith. The first genetically modified canola crop is due to go into the ground sometime this year.
Reported in ABC News yesterday.
"It is now legal to plant genetically modified (GM) canola in much of Australia, but a large group of concerned scientists, nutritionists and doctors is trying to convince the Federal Government to stop the seeds from ever being sown.
About 700 people have signed a letter to the Prime Minister, reminding him of Labor's election statement that safe and beneficial standards for GM products must be established beyond reasonable doubt."
According to The Age on the same day.
"The new federal campaign is being led by wealthy Adelaide businessman Peter Fenwick, who has urged Labor to maintain its pre-election stance on genetic engineering.
Yesterday, Mr Fenwick said he believed Mr Burke was "relatively uninformed" about the risks associated with GM, and had been "captured by his department".
Mr Rudd has been urged to:
■ Stop the release of any GM crops until he has met scientific experts to hear the latest evidence.
■ Order an immediate product safety recall on all GM crops, GM foods and GM animal feed, and ban their importation into Australia.
■ Overhaul the regulatory bodies with responsibility for policing the industry, and override the states that have lifted their GM bans.
Groups involved in the campaign include the Public Health Association of Australia, the Australian Milk Producers of Australia, Biological Farmers of Australia, a think tank associated with the Catholic Church, plus a host of organic and biodynamic food companies including Pureharvest."
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