South Pacific: New Zealand's Gene Technology Reform

Joe Allison / Stringer

The Coalition Government of Aotearoa, New Zealand, is seeking significant reforms to advance and modernize the country's economy across agriculture, health, conservation and climate adaptation sectors. To achieve this significant reform, the Government seeks to amend the laws around genetic modifications through unlocking gene technology. However, with this amendment currently up for debate in the Senate, the issues around genetic modification raise concerns about regulation and ethics contrasted by unique economic opportunities. 

The Gene Technology Reform: A Paradigm Shift

The introduction of the Gene Technology Bill in 2023 by the National Party seeks to modify strict regulation protocols that have been in place since the 1990s. Essentially, the current regulation laws represent a status quo to limit testing and experimentation in areas of genetic modification, gene splicing, and gene editing, to large laboratories. Moreover, scientists had to adhere to protocols to ensure genetic technology did not harm or alter the natural flora and fauna unique to Aotearoa. 

Minister Judith Collins, responsible for business, innovation and employment, outlined the findings of the Science System Advisory Group (SSAG) report to the public emphasising that New Zealand has a “productivity malaise” contrasted by structural economic challenges due to the ongoing recession. Minister Collins suggested “modernising gene technology laws to enable us to improve health outcomes, adapt to climate change, deliver massive economic gains and improve the lives of New Zealanders”. 

Minister Judith Collins responsible for business, innovation, and employment outlined the findings of the SSAG report to the public emphasizing New Zealand has a “productivity malaise” contrasted by structural economic challenges due to the ongoing recession. Minister Collins suggested “modernizing gene technology laws to enable us to improve health outcomes, adapt to climate change, deliver massive economic gains, and improve the lives of New Zealanders”. 

The debate around the commercialization of this technology over ethical concerns and limited consultation to update regulation protocols has concerned many stakeholders across the country. To what extent is the government seeking gene technology reform to attract greater foreign direct investment to address structural economic stagnation?

Potential Benefits of Genetic Modification

The role of genetic modification as a nexus point across a variety of sectors and industries could be beneficial to advancing New Zealand and creating a more robust economy. Notably, genetic editing has been beneficial in healthcare through the production of insulin to manage type 1 and 2 diabetes. As well as addressing the threat of invasive wasp species to agricultural yields.

Prevar, an organisation seeking to innovate fruit production has been a strong advocate for the new laws around genetic modification. Chief Executive of Prevar, Tony Martin argued the economic significance of New Zealand’s apple and pear industry as “a NZ $1bn export powerhouse”. Given the technology to genetically slice and edit, Martin views the new laws to radically shorten the timeline of traditional breeding, address global consumer demand for apples and pears, and lower the use of pesticides and other chemical inputs to ensure crop yields align with demand. Furthermore, “Prevar strongly supports the responsible use of gene editing”. 

Regulatory Challenges and the Need for Independence

The introduction of the new laws under the Gene Technology Bill seeks to update the strict regulations and protocols of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996. For 30 years, New Zealand has had some of the most strict protocols around genetic editing, slicing and modification, due to the ethical debates and successive governments seeking to preserve New Zealand’s unique flora and fauna. Aligning these previous strict protocols to companies such as Prevar, the use of GMOs and other pesticides had to be tested independently by the Environmental Protection Authority. The stringent laws and regulatory practices cancelled many imported GMOs and pesticides due to not meeting the standards set by the Environmental Protection Authority. Yet, the advocacy for gene technology has been supported by the SSAG in which the report outlining the benefits is strongly favoured by the Coalition Government and Minister Collins. 

The Gene Technology Bill unlocks previously strict red tape and exclusivity to large labs. For some in the community, there is alarm that the role of ministerial oversight in the new laws is about political influence to address structural economic challenges. The regulatory model under the Gene Technology Bill is to be subjected to general policy directions by the Minister. As such, we ask ourselves how independent this new technology will be.

Across the Tasman in Australia, similar models have been beneficial in addressing a variety of areas from health, agriculture, and climate change. The Australian model is strictly independent and provides transparency and objectivity to the whole of parliament, rather than the Government of the day. This ensures a level of political scrutiny across the political spectrum to allow for honest debate and greater reforms to ensure genetic technology remains in the interests of the country.

Ethical Considerations and Māori Perspectives

While seeking to reform the access to genetic technology, consultation with Māori leaders through Te Tira Whakamātaki to gain unique perspectives has been ongoing. Foremost, genetic technology is to be in the best interests of protecting Aotearoa for future generations. The 2024 report led by Te Tira Whakamātaki titled ‘Māori Perspectives on Synthetic Biology for Environmental Protection’ aimed to examine the ethical debate through social, cultural, and emotional factors. Foremost, the findings revealed support for genetic technology to protect Aotearoa New Zealand against invasive species. However, the report was against the use of the technology on native species such as the modification of kūmara (a native sweet potato). The use of genetic modification of kūmara aimed to prevent invasive species from impacting crop yields throughout the year. Furthermore, the themes of whakapapa (genealogy) and tikanga (customs) formed the core of any discussion about genetic technologies. Importantly, the Māori community and the Coalition Government are to engage in further consultation and discussion regarding genetic technology being incorporated into the Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi). 

Activist group Greenpeace New Zealand has strongly opposed the bill in its entirety. The advocacy against genetic technology by the group suggested the economic benefit of New Zealand remaining as a genetic editing-free producer across food supplies. This would allow unique market opportunities to those who oppose the use of genetic editing on fruits and other products. 

Balancing Innovation with Responsible Regulation 

The SSAG report findings that New Zealand has a “productivity malaise” have sparked significant debate on the ways to innovate the economy across Oceania and in the global market. The perspectives from farmers seeking to address demand and the effects of climate change have compelled many to support reform to access genetic technologies. However, the perspectives of Māori thought leaders through Te Tira Whakamātaki provide ethical considerations toward preserving  Aotearoa New Zealand’s unique flora and fauna for future generations.