Tasmania and GM crops

A survey of the Tasmanian public has found that while almost 65% believe that genetically modified crops should not be grown in Tasmania, more people think that genetically modified foods should be allowed in the State, as long as they are labelled.

The survey of public attitudes towards gene technology issues in Tasmania was conducted in May for the Commonwealth Government agency responsible for biotechnology issues, Biotechnology Australia.

The survey of 407 people undertaken by the Tasmanian market research firm Myriad Consultancy, also found that almost half of the respondents new little about gene technology and that there was much higher support for gene technology amongst younger respondents.

According to Craig Cormick, Manger of Public Awareness for Biotechnology Australia, the survey's aim was to find out more about Tasmanians' awareness of and attitudes towards genetic engineering and genetic modification.

In a separate national survey, conducted for Biotechnology Australia in April and May this year, 49% of Australians and 53% of Tasmanian respondents said they would eat genetically modified foods.

Significantly different to the national results was Tasmanians' response to a question about the use of GM technology in the medical/health sector.

When asked "Do you think pharmaceutical products, produced with the help of genetic engineering/genetic modification (GE/GM), should be allowed in Tasmania?" almost 40% said No,30.8% said Yes and 30.2% Didn't Know.

Mr Cormick said the response showed that almost one third were undecided about the issue, which indicated that there might need to be more discussion and information on uses of GM in health and medical applications, as opposed to the issue of growing crops which had been widely debated.

Item provided courtesy of Biotechnology Australia