["john mcnaull" <mcrun@hermes.net.au>]

you may have seen this - I think it would be well worth our while making 
submissions.

best regards
John
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "john mcnaull" <mcrun@hermes.net.au>
To: <bmpermaclist@yahoogroups.com.au>
Sent: Saturday, May 03, 2008 11:39 AM
Subject: FSANZ call for public submissions on sale and use of new GM Corn - 
deadline May 20


> Maybe we can put together some group submissions on this?
> more information on
> http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/newsroom/mediareleases/mediareleases2008/fsanzseekspubliccomm3894.cfm
>
> Maybe pass it on as it may not be know about.
>
> Also, below, is email I sent to Coles.  Will eventually get around to 
> finding relevant addresses for other supermarkets.  You are welcome to use 
> it if you want to amplify the message.
>
> regards
> John
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "john mcnaull" <mcrun@hermes.net.au>
> To: "Coles Customer Relations" <Customer.Relations@coles.com.au>
> Sent: Saturday, May 03, 2008 11:29 AM
> Subject: Re: Coles Customer Service
>
>
> > As yet I  havn't received a reply on this - and I sent my comments almost 
> > six months ago!  Could you please attend to this at your earliest 
> > convenience, as it is a matter of greatest importance relating to Food 
> > Safety.
> >
> > I will restate my enquiry for your convenience.
> >
> > The website of the Office Of Gene Technology Regulation advises that GM 
> > canola crops can cross with that of several other members of the Brassica 
> > family - including several food crops sold by Coles.  While it advises 
> > that the risk from this is low, several states in Australia now permit 
> > unrestricted plantings of GM Canola, and thus the risk is increased by 
> > the geographical extent of these plantings, and by the fact that the risk 
> > will be repeated year after year.  There is now a small but significant 
> > risk of transgenes appearing in the plant material sold as fresh food in 
> > your supermarket.
> >
> > [http://www.ogtr.gov.au/pdf/ir/brassica.pdf. Vegetable Brassica Crops 
> > (Brassica napus, B. oleracea and B. rapa) Gene flow from canola (Brassica 
> > napus) to B. napus vegetables (swedes, rutabaga, Siberian kale) is 
> > possible. Gene flow to B. rapa vegetables (e.g. turnip, Chinese cabbage, 
> > pak choi) is also possible due to a common set of chromosomes. ]
> >
> > Food Standards Australia & NZ have not approved any transgenic leaf 
> > vegetables for human consumption, and that sale of such material would be 
> > illegal.  Furthermore, their  website refers to experiments indicating 
> > that GM canola meal fed to rats has caused liver damage.  While the 
> > finding is inconclusive, it points to the fact that there no adequate 
> > testing has been done to indicate that trasgenic leaf crops are safe for 
> > human consumption.
> >
> > Thus the implications of the above are as follows : there is now a small 
> > but significant risk of customers eating potentially dangerous 
> > genetically modified food, purchased, unlabelled,  from your supermarket. 
> > The consequences of such an occurance could potentially be serious for 
> > Coles. Of immediate concern would the legal issues surround sale of 
> > unapproved trasgenic material.  The health impacts of such an event are, 
> > at best, unknown, but again potentially serious given what is already 
> > known. Probably of greatest concern would be the blow to public 
> > confidence in Coles as a responsible corporate citizen and major provider 
> > of food and grocery items to the Australian population.
> >
> > I do not believe that Coles intends for any of the above to occur, and to 
> > a certain extent you would be as much a victim of events outwith your 
> > immediate control as we (the consumers) would be.  However, given that 
> > you are aware of the risks, I also believe that you have a duty of care 
> > towards your customers to minimise these risks and communicate clearly 
> > about them. It would find it inconceivable that you are not already aware 
> > of such possibilities as described above.
> >
> > My question to Coles are as follows
> > 1.  What is Coles view of the risks relating to consumption of fresh food 
> > inadvertantly contaminated by trasgenes.
> > 2. What quality control steps are Coles taking to ensure that produce at 
> > risk is being adequately screened to minimise this risk
> > 3.  Will Coles go beyond minimum labelling requirements to require that 
> > all fresh produce is accurately labelled in regard to its GM status.
> > 4. What positive steps are Coles going to take to maintain public 
> > confidence on this issue.
> >
> > Now that I have re-sent this communication to you, I eagerly await a 
> > response at your earliest convenience.  I hope that you do not percieve 
> > that this issue is 'too big' and that remaining silent is an option for 
> > you.  As I indicated above, the reputation of Coles as a responsible 
> > corporate citizen relies in part on you dealing pro-actively on issues of 
> > public health and safety.
> >
> > my very best regards to you
> > John McNaull
> > 11 Hughes Avenue
> > Lawson
> > NSW 2783
> > Australia
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Coles Customer Relations" <Customer.Relations@coles.com.au>
> > To: <mcrun@hermes.net.au>
> > Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2007 12:03 PM
> > Subject: Coles Customer Service
> >
> >
> > > Thank you for taking the time to forward your comments to Coles on the 
> > > 29-Nov-2007.
> > >
> > > We value your feedback, and wish to advise that the matter you have 
> > > raised has been referred to one of our Customer Relations 
> > > Representatives who will be in contact with you in the near future.
> > >
> > > We look forward to being of service to you.
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > >
> > > Coles Customer Relations
> > >
> > >
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