Senator Rachel Siewert has condemned what she described as a misleading and irresponsible report on genetically engineered crops from the Australian Bureau of Resource Economics (ABARE), after evidence to Senate Estimates late yesterday revealed its modelling was based on unjustifiable and bizarre assumptions.

"The clear intention of this report was to convince farmers, the wider community and Government to adopt genetically engineered crops by generating media reports that the Australian economy was 'missing out' to the tune of $8.5 Billion," said Senator Siewert.

The Australian Greens today outlined their concerns over ABARE's handling of the economic costs of Genetically Engineered crops in Australia.

"This is nothing but another in a long line of biased reports from ABARE. As usual, ABARE are relying heavily upon industry data," said Greens Senator Rachel Siewert.

"The lifting of bans on Genetically Modified crops today in Victoria and New South Wales will threaten Australia's clean green reputation and cost farmers huge amounts of money," said Senator Rachel Siewert.

"The evidence from the Gene Technology Regulator last week in Senate Estimates indicated very clearly that there was not a national segregation system in place and farmers and consumers would be left to pay the price of contamination."

"Regulation of GM in this country is grossly inadequate and highlights why it is so important to maintain the moratorium on GM crops," said Australian Greens spokesperson Senator Rachel Siewert.

"There is no regulation in place to deal with the issues of contamination, segregation and marketing of GM and non-GM crops. This issue is about to come to a head with the overturning of the moratorium on GM canola by NSW and Victoria."

Australian Greens biosecurity spokesperson, Senator Christine Milne, today congratulated South Australian Premier Mike Rann for extending indefinitely South Australia's moratorium against the growing of genetically modified food crops (GMO).
 
Senator Milne said Tasmania's arm should be strengthened by the actions of Western Australia, and now South Australia, in shunning GMOs. 
 

The Rudd government should override the Victorian and NSW governments' decision to lift the ban on genetically modified canola crops, Greens leader Bob Brown said today.
 
"This is a nation- changing decision being made by two state governments. It has huge ramifications across Australia - the Constitution ensures that there can be no confinement of the GM produce to the states involved," Senator Brown said.
 

With the Coalition supporting the states' plans to give away Australia's genetically-modified (GM) free food status, Rudd Labor should declare its hand, Greens leader Bob Brown said today, campaigning with SA Greens senate candidate Sarah Hanson-Young in Adelaide.
 "GM-free status has been giving Australia's canola producers a premium on world markets. Worldwide, consumers are more and more diligent in avoiding contaminated foods and are increasingly drawn to organic foods," Senator Brown said.

Christine Milne made a submission to the Tasmanian Government's Joint Select Committee into Gene Technology.

The Australian Greens support a moratorium on the release of genetically modified material into the environment until there is a deeper scientific understanding of their long term impact on environmental and human health.

In Tasmania, an island state dependent on a clean, green, natural brand, the current ban on GM organisms (GMOs) has worked to the State's economic advantage.