Legislative Council Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1) 54 1 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Genetic Modification Genetic Modification The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY Legislative Council Genetic Modification The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (14:48): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Health and Wellbeing regarding genetic modification techniques. Leave granted. The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY Legislative Council The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: On the day before the federal election the Coalition government announced the planned deregulation of some new genetic modification techniques, and the organisms that are produced as a result, by seeking to classify them as being non-GM. These include SDN-1 techniques and dsRNA techniques. I understand that earlier this year the minister agreed to support the deregulation of these modification changes, including the above techniques. The proposed deregulation has now been presented to federal parliament. My question to the minister is: why did the minister support the deregulation of these genetic modification techniques, and what consultation did he undertake before giving his support? The Hon. S.G. WADE Legislative Council Minister for Health and Wellbeing The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:49): I must say that the Hon. Mark Parnell's questions on this were more understandable. I presume the honourable member is asking a similar series of questions to the questions the Hon. Mark Parnell asked. I am at a loss to know where the honourable member says I made statements in support of this particular change. My recollection—and I will take this on notice—is that South Australia did not vote on that matter.