More than 150 New Zealand scientists under 30 have signed a letter to the Green Party urging a rethink of its stance on the regulation of genetic modification. The full text of the letter follows.
To the members and supporters of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand and their representatives in government
Climate change is one of the greatest crises in human history, and our current law severely restricts the development of technologies that could make a vital difference. In 2003 the 1996 Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act was modified to tightly regulate research into genetic modification (GM). This legislation and the surrounding public debate was driven by uncertainty about the risks that these new technologies posed to biodiversity and human health, and resulted in creating one of the toughest regulatory environments in the world for this field of research.
We, an emerging generation of New Zealand scientists with expertise in and/or undertaking research in the biological sciences*, are writing to request that the Green Party reconsider its position on the regulation of these technologies. We are addressing this letter to the Greens because of a history of leading in science-based policy such as climate action, even when that path is difficult. We believe that GM based research could be decisive in our efforts to reduce New Zealand and global climate emissions as well as partially mitigating some of the impacts of climate change. At the same time, we emphasise that potential reduction of impact is not a substitute for emission reduction.
The period since the introduction of the 2003 legislation has seen important GM related research in the areas of agricultural efficiency, carbon sequestration, and alternative protein production. The existing regulation in New Zealand inhibits application of advances such as these, blocking not only the development of green technology, but the potential for a just transition away from extractive and polluting industries. New Zealand has the opportunity to be a world leader in such a transition: for example, the development and demonstration of effective technologies to reduce agricultural emissions could have an international impact and set an example for other countries.
While such a powerful technology as targeted genetic modification certainly requires controls, existing frameworks do not enable public and environmental benefits from these technologies to be realised. The gene editing expert advice panel supported by The Royal Society Te Apārangi, the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, and the interim climate change committee have recently called for public discussion on potential reform of New Zealand’s laws around modern gene editing techniques.
As a confidence and supply member of the current government the Greens have the ability to drive this reform: the members can persuade the party to reconsider its policy position, and the Members of Parliament can influence the government it supports to revise the legislation. The Greens have been strong advocates of both climate action and evidence based policy informed by science. In this light we call upon its members, supporters, ministers, and MPs to add their voices to the cause of a science-based approach to climate, on behalf of the people and environment of both Aotearoa and the world.
Ngā mihi
PhD
Kyle Webster, University of Auckland, Bio-nanotechnology
Luke Stevenson, Victoria University of Wellington, Biotechnology
Emilie Gios, University of Auckland, Microbial ecology
Morgane Merien, University of Auckland, Biological Sciences – Entomology
Lucie Jiraska, University of Auckland, Environmental Microbiology
Victor Yim, University of Auckland, Peptide chemistry
Zach McLean, University of Auckland, Genetic engineering
Declan Lafferty, Plant and Food Research/University of Auckland, Genetics and Molecular Biology
Samarth Samarth, University of Canterbury, Plant Biology
Juliane Gaviraghi Mussoi, University of Auckland, Avian Behaviour
Alex Noble, University of Canterbury, Biology
Kelsey Burborough, University of Auckland, Genetics
Matthew Mayo-Smith, University of Auckland, Plant Molecular Biology
Moritz Miebach, University of Canterbury, Plant-microbe interactions
Olivia Ogilvie, University of Auckland, Food Biotech / Biochemistry
Rachel Bennie, University of Canterbury, Human Toxicology
Sean Mackay, University of Otago, Chemistry and Nanotechnology
Georgia Carson, Victoria University of Wellington, Cell and Molecular Biology
Ruby Roach, Massey University
Jeremy Stephens, Massey University, Biology
Zidong (Andy) Li, Massey University, Molecular Cancer Biology
Aqfan Jamaluddin, University of Auckland, Molecular Pharmacology
Michael Fairhurst, Victoria University of Wellington, Microbiology
Nikolai Kondratev, Massey University, Plant Biology
Mariana Tarallo, Massey University, Plant pathology
Ellie Bradley, Massey University, Plant pathology
Mercedes Rocafort Ferrer, Massey University, Plant pathology
Yi-Hsuan Tu, Massey University, Biochemistry & Microbiology
Sean Bisset, Massey University, Biochemistry
Patrick Main, Massey University, Biological sciences
Abigail Sharrock, Victoria University of Wellington, Biotechnology
Alvey Little, Victoria University of Wellington, Molecular Microbiology
William Odey, Victoria University of Wellington, Biotechnology
Gabrielle Greig, Victoria University of Wellington, Molecular Microbiology
Melanie Olds, Victoria University of Wellington, Biotechnology
Jennifer Soundy, Victoria University of Wellington, Biological Sciences
Matire Ward, Victoria University of Wellington, Cell and molecular bioscience
Tom Dawes, Victoria University of Wellington, Plant Ecology
Hamish Dunham, Victoria University of Wellington, Biomedical science
Amy Alder, Victoria University of Wellington, Neuroscience
Caitlin Harris, University of Otago, Plant genetics
Lucy Gorman, Victoria University of Wellington, Coral reef biology
Vincent Nowak, Victoria University of Wellington, Biotechnology
Brandon Wright, University of Otago, Biochemistry
Anna Tribe, Victoria University of Wellington, Cancer cell biology
Conor McGuinness, University of Otago, Breast Cancer
Genomics/Immunology Kelsi Hall, Victoria University of Wellington, Biotechnology
Andrew Howard, University of Waikato, Biochemistry
Mitch Ganley, Victoria University of Wellington, Biotechnology/vaccines
Matt Munro, Victoria University of Wellington, Biomedical Science
Prashath Karunaraj, University of Otago, Genetics
Pascale Lubbe, University of Otago, Evolutionary genetics
Mackenzie Lovegrove, University of Otago, Genetics, Insect evolution
Nicholas Foster, University of Otago, Ecology
Taylor Hamlin, University of Otago, Antarctic Marine Ecosystem & Movement Ecology
Fionnuala Murphy, Massey University, Proteomics
Amanda Board, University of Canterbury, Protein Biochemistry
Esther Onguta, Massey University, Food Technology
Noémie Petit, University of Auckland, Proteins
Liam Le Lievre, University of Otago, Plant Reproduction
James Hunter, University of Otago, Ecology
Samarth Kulshrestha, University of Canterbury,
Rebecca Clarke, University of Otago, Whole body regeneration
Sarah Killick, University of Auckland, Environmental Science
Stephanie Workman, University of Otago, Developmental Genetics
Erik Johnson, University of Otago, Oceanography
Declan Lafferty, University of Auckland, Molecular Biology
Laurine van Haastrecht, Victoria University of Wellington, Glaciology
Leo Mercer, Victoria University of Wellington, Environmental Studies
Aidan Joblin-Mills, Victoria University of Wellington, Chemical Genetics
Gabrielle Keeler-May, University of Otago, Marine Science
Aqfan Jamaluddin, University of Auckland, Pharmacology
Spencer McIntyre, University of Auckland, Biological Sciences
Sarah Inwood, University of Otago, Genetics
Isabelle Barrett, University of Canterbury, Freshwater ecology
Olivia Angelin-Bonnet, Massey University, Biostatistics
Hannah McCarthy, Massey University, Plant Pathology
Sofie Pearson, Massey University, Plant Science
Zac Beechey-Gradwell, Lincoln University, Plant physiology
Hannah Lee-Harwood, Victoria University of Wellington, Biotechnology
Euan Russell, University of Otago, Microbiology
Masters
Kelly Styles, University of Auckland, Biological Sciences
Merlyn Robson, University of Auckland, Virology
Andra Popa, University of Auckland
James Love, University of Auckland, Bioinformatics
Evie Mansfield, University of Auckland, Molecular Microbiology
Ash Sargent, University of Auckland, Immunology
Sabrina Cuellar, University of Auckland, Plant Genetics
Renji Jiang, University of Canterbury, Plant pathology
Morgan Tracy, University of Canterbury, Ecology
Brook O’Reilly, University of Canterbury, Biological Sciences
Irene Saxby, University of Auckland, Structural Biology
Michael Newton-Vesty, University of Canterbury
Adam Colsell, University of Canterbury, Biotechnology
Liam McIver, University of Canterbury, Ecology
Nathan Hulston, University of Canterbury, Plant Biotechnology
Louis Perriman, University of Canterbury, Toxicology
Aanchal Singh, Victoria University of Wellington, Biotechnology
Olga Palmer, Victoria University of Wellington, Immunology
Devlin Forsythe, Victoria University of Wellington, Cancer Cell Biology
Kaitlyn Daley, Victoria University of Wellington, Cell and Molecular bioscience
Aseel Mohammad, Massey University, Biochemistry-cancer research
Shannon Ormond, Massey University, Human genetics/biochemistry
Sarah Wilson, Massey University, Biochemistry
Madeline Griffiths, Victoria University of Wellington, Biomedical Science
Brittany Florence-Bennett, Victoria University of Wellington, Ecology and Biodiversity
Raoul Solomon, Massey University, Genetics and Biochemistry
Liam Hewson, Massey University,
Madeleine Palmer, Massey University, Neurogenetics
Georgia Davey, Massey University, Microbiology
Catrina Olivera, Massey University, Microbiology
Rayen Leon, Massey University, Biochemistry
Brittany Drummond, Massey University, Biochemistry
Victoria Carrington, Victoria University of Wellington, Marine Biology
India McJarrow-Keller, Massey University, Plant biology
Caitlyn Shannon, Victoria University of Wellington, Marine Biology
Jennifer Francis, Victoria University of Wellington, Biotechnology
Sarah Messenger, Victoria University of Wellington, Biotechnology
Jessica Russell, Victoria University of Wellington, Ecology and honey bee
epidemiology Anna Clark, University of Otago, Genetic pest control (rodents)
Rosemary Sullivan, University of Otago, Genetics
Bridget Mackie, University of Otago, Genetics
Sean Driver, University of Otago, Genetics
Vincent Collins, Victoria University of Wellington, Biotechnology
Daniel Chaji, Victoria University of Wellington
Claudia Davies, University of Otago, Genetics – Demethylation in
cancer Oly Hall, University of Otago, Freshwater ecology
Janine Sharma, Victoria University of Wellington, Cell and Molecular Bioscience
Sharna McCleary, University of Waikato, Molecular Genetics
Rachael Ellis, University of Otago, Plant Biotechnology and Botany
Alex Kane, Victoria University of Wellington, Biotechnology
Melita Busch, University of Otago, Zoology
Miriam Hunt, University of Otago, Genetics
Rory Besaans, Victoria University of Wellington, Biotechnology
Jack Sissons, Victoria University of Wellington, Biotechnology
Brittany Jones, University of Otago, Quantitative Genetics
Campbell Gilbert, University of Otago, Genetics
Brooke Williams, University of Otago, Genetics
Maddi Post, University of Otago, Biotech
Cameron Stern, University of Auckland, Biology/Plant Breeding
Vaughan Trounson, Victoria University of Wellington, Biomedical Science
Shannon Taylor, University of Otago, Genetics
Harry Biggs, University of Otago, Genetics
Jasmine Divinagracia, University of Otago, Plant Biotechnology
Zoe Erridge, Plant and Food Research, Post-Harvest
Subin Jeon, Plant and Food Research, Gene editing, molecular biology
Clara Schlieman, University of Otago, Marine Science
Toby Elliott, University of Auckland, Plant Ecology
Matthew Arnet, University of Canterbury, Plant biology
Merlyn Robson, Plant and Food Research, Virology
Ella Williams, University of Otago, Genetics
Anna Martinson-Behling, Massey University, Genetics
Aden Murtagh, Massey University, Chemistry and nanoscience
Ruby Bennett, Massey University, Biological science, Spatial ecology
Jacob Simmonds, Victoria University of Wellington, Biotechnology
Supporting signatories
Honours
Olivia Kelly, University of Otago, Plant Biotechnology
Dylan Goldsmith, University of Canterbury, Biochemistry
Georgia Johnstone, University of Otago, Genetics, development
Over 30s
Janelle Moody, University of Auckland, Plant Biology
Jev Upton, Victoria University of Wellington, Cell and Molecular Bioscience
Nicola Haisman, Waikato University, Plant Physiology
Casey Flay, Massey University, Molecular biology, Plant biology, Entomology
Ming Williams, University of Otago, Marine Science
Sujani Ariyadasa, University of Canterbury / Institute of Environmental Science and Research Biotechnology
Zoya Pezhman, University of Canterbury, Biotechnology
Seoljong Kim, University of Canterbury, Forestry
Mark Herse, University of Canterbury, Ecology
Richard Little, Victoria University of Wellington, Molecular Biology
Kevin Sheridan, University of Otago, Biochemistry/Botany
Gemma McLaughlin, University of Otago, Genomes
David Chagne Plant & Food Research Genomics
Johanna Spaak, University of Waikato, Plant Physiology
Kris Kramer-Walter, Plant and Food Research, Plant Physiology
Elena Lopez Girona, Plant and Food Research, Plant Genetics
Junqi Zhu, Plant and Food Research, Grape and Wine
Mareike Knaebel, Plant and Food Research, Plant Genetics
Colm Carraher, Plant and Food, Research Protein biochemistry and biosensors
Matthew van Voorthuizen, University of Canterbury, Biotechnology
Warwick Allen, University of Canterbury, Ecology
Joanna Green, University of Canterbury
Please direct correspondence to secretary@escanz.org
* The 155 primary signatories are under 30 as of 1/1/2020 and have or are studying for a PhD or Masters degree in Biological or Environmental Science at one of seven New Zealand universities or Plant and Food Research.