Kedgley Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Kedgley Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:619;Page:15318] 
5.  
SUE KEDGLEY (Green) 
 to the  
Minister for Food Safety 
: Is she satisfied that all food sold in New Zealand containing genetically engineered ingredients is safe? 
Hon JIM SUTTON (Minister of Agriculture) 
 on behalf of the 
 Minister for Food Safety 
: Yes. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Why does the Minister think it is acceptable for New Zealand consumers to eat a genetically engineered corn known as MON 863 corn which caused abnormalities in rats such as inflammation of the kidneys and reduced numbers of white blood cells and about which the French commission on genetic engineering has expressed serious concerns? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: The corn MON 863 has been approved as safe for human consumption by the European Food Safety Authority and Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Since the report referred to by the member was published the European Food Safety Authority has reviewed its determination of MON 863 and confirmed that in its view it is safe. 
Jill Pettis 
: What is the process by which Food Standards Australia New Zealand assesses applications? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: Before it will recommend approval of a genetically modified food Food Standards Australia New Zealand must be satisfied that the food does not have any new toxins or allergens and is not likely to pose any new health risks when compared with its conventional counterpart. As well as all the information that has to be supplied by the producer of the food Food Standards Australia New Zealand gathers extra information from many sources including peer-reviewed scientific literature general technical information independent scientists regulatory agencies international bodies and the community. 
Judy Turner 
: Is the Minister aware of any food containing genetically engineered ingredients and sold anywhere at all that has been proven not safe? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: No I am not aware of any such food. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Is the Minister aware with reference to the study that fed that corn to rats that the spokesman for the French genetic engineering commission—who also happens to be the director of research at the National Institute for Agricultural Research—said: “What struck me in this file is the number of abnormalities. I have never seen that in another file.”; and why does he think that a statement like that from a person like that should be ignored by our regulatory authorities? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: I do not believe that such a statement by such a person is ignored either by the New Zealand and Australian regulatory authority or by the European Food Safety Authority. The latter authority in fact reviewed the literature and data following the report that led to the member’s accusation determined that the differences in the studies fell within normal variations and gave a positive opinion on the food safety of Monsanto maize MON 863 in April this year. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Does the Minister agree that if this had been a trial of a genetically engineered pharmaceutical those sorts of abnormal effects would have triggered an intensive and rigorous assessment to explain the causes of the abnormalities; and can the Minister explain why that did not happen in the case of a GE food that was destined for widespread human consumption? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: In fact in my understanding the safety of this food has been subjected to a rigorous review. The member is unhappy because the review did not find that the food was unsafe. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Does the Minister agree now that the study showing abnormalities in rats has come to light and the Food Standards Australia New Zealand report does not refer to it in any way at all that Food Standards Australia New Zealand should publicly release the study for independent scrutiny commission an independent expert group to review the significance of the study and review its approval for the entire application; and will the Minister advocate that with Food Standards Australia New Zealand? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: The European Food Safety Authority is not only an independent expert group but it is the authoritative group in Europe and would be considered such I am sure by Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Should that agency have any further information come to hand suggesting that any of the foods it has approved as safe are not safe it would of course review its findings taking all available data into consideration. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Does the Minister believe that thalidomide asbestos and DDT are safe because they were approved by a number of countries and can we repeat the previous question: will the Minister call for Food Standards Australia New Zealand to release the controversial study publicly for independent scrutiny; if not why not? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Two of those questions can be answered. 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: Thalidomide was never approved as a safe food by the Australian and New Zealand food safety authorities. I think the member is really scratching the bottom of the barrel.