In 2008, Bass Coast Shire Council resolved that the Shire become a Genetically Modified Organism Free Zone. Main reasons for adopting this resolution were:

• concern about health risks
• the inadequate labelling of GM products, so that the community could not choose whether to use or consume GM products
• the impact on Bass Coast's 'clean, green' image
• community feedback - in February 2008 we received a community petition, requesting the municipality be declared a GM Free Zone.

What does this mean?

Actions from this declaration include:

• advising all our food contractors of this position and urging them to make every effort to use food that is free of GMOs.
• we also contacted the State and Federal Governments to request more comprehensive food labelling than the current standard for GM products and those derived by genetic modification. This was the Minister for Agriculture's response (PDF 1.2MB).

Why?

At the present time there is very poor labelling of GMO products. Under the existing Food Standards Australia New Zealand legislation, there are many products sold which include GMOs that are not shown on the labelling e.g. refined oils and stock feeds. This will enable the food industry and the public to choose whether to use or consume GMO products.

What is a genetically modified organism?

A basic definition used by the Australian Government is an organism (plant, animal, bacteria, or virus) that has had its genetic material altered, either by the duplication, insertion or deletion of one or more new genes, or by changing the activities of an existing gene. A full definition is available in the Gene Technology Act 2000 and the Gene Technology Regulations 2001.

Need to know more?

For more information on this issue please download the fact sheet (PDF 100kb).