A PARLIAMENTARY inquiry has found the current mechanisms in place to deal with compensation claims for Western Australian farmers who believe they have suffered economic loss caused by contamination by genetically modified material are adequate.
This inquiry arises from a petition tabled in the Legislative Council on June 13, 2017, by Greens MLC Diane Evers calling for the introduction of farmer protection legislation in regards to GM contamination.
The petition was prompted by the well publicised six-year court battle between Kojonup organic farmer Steve Marsh and his neighbour Michael Baxter.
The Standing Committee on Environment and Public Affairs tabled its report in the WA Legislative Council yesterday and committee member and shadow minister for the environment Steve Thomas said the outcome was a pleasing result.
"The bonus for me is that a committee dominated by Labor and the Greens examined this issue with a very even hand and came out with a report that concluded no action is required," Mr Thomas said.
"We examined the issue, no one presented an opposing argument to change the existing process, there was not a single recommendation and therefore we should move on."
The report presented 12 findings in total, which included that there was minimal evidence of systemic contamination by genetically modified material in WA and that there was no evidence to suggest that economic loss to farmers caused by contamination by genetically modified material is a widespread or systemic problem in Western Australia.
"On the current evidence as it exists right now, no one can present an argument for systemic economic loss due to GM contamination," Mr Thomas said.
"Therefore there is no need for a compensation mechanism.
"I think it is a sensible outcome and I think the fact that it was a left-dominated committee that came to it speaks volumes about the practical nature of the findings.
"The Marsh-Baxter case has been the only significant Australian case in this regard and that wasn't fought on whether GM was appropriate as a crop or not it was fought on some very detailed specifics and there is no reason to suggest if the trial was re-run today that the outcome would be any different.
"For future references everybody will have to accept some of the basic findings of this review and I think it is going to set a new standard for the debate.
"Those opposed to GM generally will not like the outcome but we looked very specifically at the legal ramifications in compensation and the report is the report and I fully stand by it."
The Pastoralists and Graziers Association Western Grain Growers chairman Gary McGill said the review was "just another baseless attack on those WA farmers who choose to use this viable and vital cropping technology by the Greens and activist organisations dedicated to returning farming to the dark ages".
"The Committee's findings clearly show that there is no evidence of actual economic loss to farmers growing organic or non-GM crops, and no evidence of any systemic contamination from GM canola," Mr McGill said.
"GM technology is just another tool for WA grain growers to use, and it has been proven safe to humans, animals and the environment since its introduction more than a generation ago.
"And once again, as was the case during the Marsh-Baxter case, there remains no evidence to support claims of economic loss to non-GM growers due to alleged contamination from GM crops."
WAFarmers Grain Council president Duncan Young said the outcome of the full report gives grain growers confidence about future of GM crops in WA.
"WAFarmers has been working behind the scenes to ensure that the use of GM technology remains available to WA growers, should they wish to adopt the technology," Mr Young said.
"The report gives the industry and growers a green light and it's comforting that the report has been released prior to the 2019/20 harvest.
"WAFarmers supported the position of common law, and it's reassuring that the committee found insufficient evidence to justify a change.
"The report found that there was insufficient data on alternative compensation approaches from other jurisdictions to determine merits over common law, and there was little evidence of contamination by GM material in WA.
"The WA supply chain handles the segregation of GM from non-GM incredibly well and it's great to see that the Committee acknowledged this in its findings and that there was no evidence to suggest that economic loss by GM contamination was a problem in WA."
Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan said she agreed with the observation of the Committee that there was little evidence that GM contamination is causing actual economic loss at this point of time.
"As such, changes to the laws will not be a priority for this government in this term of government," Ms MacTiernan said.
"A formal response will be made in coming months."
See next week's Farm Weekly for a full list of the report's findings.
