Agence France Presse | December 21, 1999
New Zealands new government is to hold a royal commission into the genetic modification of food, Parliament was told here Tuesday. Governor General Sir Michael Hardie Boys effectively launched the new centre left government of Prime Minister Helen Clark with a Speech from the Throne. Written by the government it indicated the governments programme. Hardie Boys said a Royal Commission would be held but gave no details of when or its terms of reference. Commentators here said its inclusion in the speech reflected the impact of the six Green Party members of parliament who are not in the formal Labour-Alliance Party coalition government which has only 59 of the 120 seats. Green party support is important to the governments survival. The Greens campaigned during last months general election pledging a total ban on GM food. The governor general said there would also be inquiries into the impact of climate change and ozone depletion. The speech promised three years of "responsible pragmatic change" without radical restructuring. "New Zealanders have voted for change but are weary of radical restructuring. It is my government's intention that the next three years will be marked by responsible, pragmatic change in the interest of many," the speech said. The Treasury had been instructed to end all work on the sale of state assets, the speech said.
