The Way Forward

By Guy Hatchard

A bill containing amendments to the HSNO (Hazardous Substances and New Organisms) Act passed its first reading in Parliament on May 14 with the support of Labour and the Coalition. It is hard to escape the notion that this bill is simply the Gene Technology Bill Mark 2. There are provisions in the amendments which allow for fast tracking of genetically modified organisms if they are approved overseas. It seems the government is determined to bypass opposition to genetic modification by simply redefining existing regulations in order to hand more leeway to the EPA (Environmental Protection Authority) to deregulate biotechnology experimentation. This will place our export markets at risk and expose Kiwis to health hazards. Recently published research has identified more evidence of significant damage to intestinal and digestive function from agrichemicals that are commonly paired with GM crops including glyphosate, 2,4-D and dicamba.

For the last five years the Hatchard Report and many others have been fighting battles on multiple fronts and winning occasional minor victories like the holdup of the Gene Technology Bill, but the pace of change especially in biotechnology is so fast that for every battle won or problem exposed, there are 100 more invasive novel technologies, chemicals or radiations being introduced in the fields of food, medicine, education, economics and the environment, many of which pose unquantified risks.

Recently the FBI uncovered a bio lab being operated in a suburban home in Las Vegas. Thousands of substances, which are currently being analysed, were found at the address. The Las Vegas Police believe these are consistent with deadly pathogens like dengue, HIV and malaria. They said they had no legal manual to pull such material off the shelves. This illustrates just how inadequate current biotech legislative frameworks are to protect the public. Rather than deregulation of biotechnology experimentation, a complete pause is needed.

We have been referencing our precautionary articles to official statistics and published scientific findings. But we doubt whether many decision makers are listening. Governments continue to be eager to rubber stamp technology without acknowledging serious risks to public health uncovered and documented through scientific investigation. We have to face the harsh reality that people are not much interested in traditional science. In many cases, science has morphed into a superficial mechanism to endorse products in order to increase sales. We are bombarded with it through screen advertising. This veneer of science replaces evidence, logic, analysis and safety.

But that is not all, by now you must be aware that redress offered under NZ law is weak and ineffective. We do have a NZ Bill of Rights, but during the Covid pandemic both the government and the opposition had no qualms in casting its provisions to the four winds when it conflicted with their intentions or ideology in any way. Moreover, long standing medical regulatory safeguards and practices like informed consent were bypassed. It seems that at this stage anyone who imagines that positive social change will result from our choices at the ballot box, petitions, presentations of evidence, legislation or an application to the courts is not only wasting their time and money, but also deluding themselves. Harsh words, no doubt, but they have the ring of truth.

The sad reality is that we are going backwards. Nothing is more telling concerning the ability of the nation to understand and remediate problems than educational attainment statistics. Just 50% of NZ primary school graduates can read up to standard. There are similar deficits in arithmetic, writing and science skills. With the advent of A.I., achievement and comprehension are set to plummet further right up to the tertiary level where ‘A’ grades no longer deserve the name. For health, hospitals are overflowing and waiting lists are lengthening. So what should we do to shift the direction of progress to the positive?

People resist change

In reply to our recent release “How on earth did this happen to us?”, a GP wrote to warn me that my complaints about the severe adverse effects of polypharmacy might be putting some of her patients off taking their medication, placing their health and life at risk. She took exception to my tongue in cheek comment that the combined adverse effects of six particular medications taken together are likely to kill you before you have a chance to develop dementia. There followed a cordial exchange of views by email. The doctor admitted admiration for our stand on diet, exercise and meditation and acknowledged that they are more effective than medication. I replied:

“These are good points you raise. If meditation, exercise and diet are far superior to treat diabetes, high blood pressure, and a larger range of conditions, why is our medical system orientated to polypharmacy? Why are the government failing to set up a tax system which favours real food? Why is our education system failing our kids on these points? Why are journalists failing to draw red lines? .... I suppose that an answer to these questions might be that people want pills, not advice about lifestyle. Is it right to massively fund pharmaceutical interventions that are second best and subject to adverse effects just because misinformed people demand them, leaving the best options, that are also safe, almost completely unfunded?”

The GP came back to point out that doctors faced a perennial problem, people are often resistant to advice, however useful it may be. An article in Stuff newspaper this week headlines “‘Life or death’: New survey reveals the health issue that’s weighing on voters’ minds”. It cites a survey which found that 81% of Kiwis want the government to fund more prescription drugs, while just 2% want less polypharmacy!! The general population appears almost completely unaware that ever more powerful and invasive biotech drugs are associated with more serious adverse effects at greater frequencies.

In medicine, society is looking for a pill to restore health, in agriculture, a stronger spray which will degrade the natural environment and in education, an A.I. button to press for instant genius. It may be that NZ is backing the wrong horse. All the while, the seeds of conflict and ill health are gathering pace everywhere. We can legitimately ask: ‘Are there alternatives which don’t poison the body and mind and degrade intelligence?’

Therefore we are currently taking extra time to do deep research to answer this question. We are in the process of writing a book that presents solutions. Please bear with us, there may be a slightly reduced rate of articles as we write in more detail and at greater length in order to outline a way forward. Please email us if there is something urgent that you feel needs our immediate attention. We will be happy to hear from you. You can also subscribe to our Substack newsletter where we post key articles that go into the issues in more depth such as our recent post The Sacred Cell and Conscious Genes.