ABC news online, 14 June 2006
Monsanto, Bayer: Govt urged to outlaw commercial cotton crops
The Northern Territory Environment Centre (NTEC) is calling on the Territory Government to legislate against commercial cotton crops.
At the moment the NT Government has a policy not to allow the cotton industry into the Territory, but it is not on the statute books.
Two companies, Monsanto and Bayer, have applied to the Commonwealth to introduce genetically modified cotton crops in northern Australia. NTEC spokesman Dr Gary Scott says the Territory Government should legislate to stop that happening.
„If these applications are approved by the Commonwealth, it does create a lot more pressure for the Northern Territory Government to change its policy and allow cotton growing in northern Australia,“ he said. „We would like to see it set in legislation.
“As we’ve seen with other issues in the Northern Territory, with the waste dump and uranium mining, the Commonwealth can flex its muscles and try to overturn Territory Government policies.“
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