Mr WOOD - 2004-02-17
In the NT News in November last year, the Chief Minister said:
As Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries, do you agree with the Chief Minister’s statements . If so, could you tell the parliament what are the sensible and logical scientific reasons – not the political reasons – that your government now says no GM cotton, nor any kind of cotton, will be grown in the whole 1.3 million km2 of the Northern Territory., and why the cotton trials will not continue in Katherine? Could you also please state what legislation your government will use to introduce agricultural censorship – I have used a borrowed line there – to ban the growing of cotton in the Northern Territory, and when will this piece of political hysteria appear?
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you for your short question, member for Nelson!
Mr WOOD: Madam Speaker, the question was probably as short as the answer will be relevant.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his statement – question, I mean. Yes, you are absolutely right. The Chief Minister made a statement that there will be no cotton growing in the Northern Territory and, yes, I agree with the Chief Minister..
There has been a lot of concern about cotton, genetically modified cotton. The reality is that it is not possible to grow the common variety of cotton in the Territory unless we apply significant amounts of pesticides because of the nature of the Territory and insect presence in the Territory. Yes, we have a vast expanse of land in the Territory, many thousands of square kilometres. The reality is that cotton can grow only in certain areas of the Territory, depending on the geography and the availability of water.
I understand that the member travelled south recently where he had a look at the cotton industry and is probably a convert of the cotton industry. I suppose, since he has been persuaded that cotton is okay and that we can grow it, he will go to Litchfield Shire and present his case to his constituents and urge them to grow cotton in Litchfield. I think he is going to get the same reaction as other areas of the Territory and, as a matter of fact, other states in Australia.
The question about genetically modified cotton is still out there. It has not been answered conclusively. People are still very concerned about products with genetic modification, and it is quite right that the government – any government – has to listen to the people. It is not an hysterical approach; it is something we have considered carefully. My department, together with the Department of Justice, is looking at the complexity of this issue.
You can control what you grow in your area. You do not have to control specifically the product; you can control the application of pesticides, you can apply water plans and you can effectively stop growing certain products in your jurisdiction.
The government is looking very carefully at what we are doing, and we respond to the call of the people. At the same time, we have committed to continue the trials of cotton and they will be concluded. The Chief Minister and I will be meeting with the Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Cotton Cooperative Research Centre, and the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cotton Australia to discuss this issue further.
- Ms Martin said the growing of cotton would be banned outright once the existing genetically modified cotton trials wrapped up. ‘The issue of cotton growing in the Northern Territory has been very controversial,’ she said yesterday. ‘We have listened carefully to the community. I think a very sensible and logical decision is to say no cotton growing in the Northern Territory’.
As Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries, do you agree with the Chief Minister’s statements . If so, could you tell the parliament what are the sensible and logical scientific reasons – not the political reasons – that your government now says no GM cotton, nor any kind of cotton, will be grown in the whole 1.3 million km2 of the Northern Territory., and why the cotton trials will not continue in Katherine? Could you also please state what legislation your government will use to introduce agricultural censorship – I have used a borrowed line there – to ban the growing of cotton in the Northern Territory, and when will this piece of political hysteria appear?
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you for your short question, member for Nelson!
Mr WOOD: Madam Speaker, the question was probably as short as the answer will be relevant.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his statement – question, I mean. Yes, you are absolutely right. The Chief Minister made a statement that there will be no cotton growing in the Northern Territory and, yes, I agree with the Chief Minister..
There has been a lot of concern about cotton, genetically modified cotton. The reality is that it is not possible to grow the common variety of cotton in the Territory unless we apply significant amounts of pesticides because of the nature of the Territory and insect presence in the Territory. Yes, we have a vast expanse of land in the Territory, many thousands of square kilometres. The reality is that cotton can grow only in certain areas of the Territory, depending on the geography and the availability of water.
I understand that the member travelled south recently where he had a look at the cotton industry and is probably a convert of the cotton industry. I suppose, since he has been persuaded that cotton is okay and that we can grow it, he will go to Litchfield Shire and present his case to his constituents and urge them to grow cotton in Litchfield. I think he is going to get the same reaction as other areas of the Territory and, as a matter of fact, other states in Australia.
The question about genetically modified cotton is still out there. It has not been answered conclusively. People are still very concerned about products with genetic modification, and it is quite right that the government – any government – has to listen to the people. It is not an hysterical approach; it is something we have considered carefully. My department, together with the Department of Justice, is looking at the complexity of this issue.
You can control what you grow in your area. You do not have to control specifically the product; you can control the application of pesticides, you can apply water plans and you can effectively stop growing certain products in your jurisdiction.
The government is looking very carefully at what we are doing, and we respond to the call of the people. At the same time, we have committed to continue the trials of cotton and they will be concluded. The Chief Minister and I will be meeting with the Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Cotton Cooperative Research Centre, and the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cotton Australia to discuss this issue further.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016