Official Information Act Requests

This page records OIA's requests and responses to GE Free New Zealand and others 

Food Standards Australia New Zealand - New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS)

Responsibility of GE Detection. 

11.11.2024 - OIA24-0712 NZFS reply to contamination of seed supply, responsibility of importers to monitor contamination, lack of funding for monitoring.

P1055 - Definitions for gene technology and new breeding techniques

21/08/2024 P1055 FOI  GE Free NZ request for clarification and to extend submission period by 1 month. 

27/08/2024 Response from FSANZ to questions 

20/08/2024 P1055 Gene Ethics detailed request to extend submission period by 1 month. 

29/08/2024 CEO response to Gene Ethics 

FOI FSANZ A1274 GM Bananas

11.8.2023 FOI A1274 -  Application to approve GE Bananas into the food chain. 

SCION

22.10.2022 - QT-10281 OIA Response to GE Free NZ  SCION response on the traits, number and health of the GE trees in their Rotorua field trial in 2022

10.08.2023 - CN012371 OIA Response to GE Free   SCION response on the traits, number and health of the GE trees in Rotorua their Rotorua field trial in 2023

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

17.07.2023  OIA request to MBIE

05.10.2023 OIA reply - DOIA 2324-0428 - MBIE Letter of reply with attachments for the annual reports of the GE ryegrass field trials conducted in the US from 2017-2022

Attachments -

C10X1603-CR-1 - GE Ryegrass Field Trials 2016 - 2017 

C10X1603-CR-2 - GE Ryegrass Field Trials 2017 - 2018

C10X1603-CR-3 - GE Ryegrass Field Trials 2018 - 2019

C10X1603-CR-4 - GE Ryegrass Field Trials 2019 - 2020

C10X1603-CR-5 - GE Ryegrass Field Trials 2020 - 2021

C10X1603-CR-6 - GE Ryegrass Field Trials 2021 - 2022

Commerce Commission

9.5.2022 - Complaint under Fair Trading Act - labelling of GE soy in Impossible Burgers

Ministry of Primary Industries 

 LMOs imported or exported

 31.7.2023 OIA23-0347 - MPI reply on Cartagena Protocol Biological Clearing House on Living Modified Organisms (LMO /GE) Imports and Exports 2019 -2023

                  Appendix 1 - Data of exports and imports of Living Modified Organisms (LMO /GE)

GE Eucalyptus ERMA200825

20.07.2023 OIA23-0327 MPI reply to the status of the Te Teko trial of GE Eucalyptus - 

Appendix 1 OIA23-0327  MPI audit report final

29.08.2023 OIA23-0487 Monitoring and inspection responsibility 

Impossible Burger

23.4.2023 OIA23-0078 MPI reply relating to evidence on Impossible foods

Appendix 1  MPI correspondence with Impossible Foods

Appendix 2 MPI investigation report and emails. 

 (Image of Impossible food products sold in USA and Canada)

6.5.2022 Complaint to MPI regarding labelling of Impossible Burger. Request to recall Impossible Burger from shelves and re-label. 

19.05.2022 Reply from Jerwin Impossible Foods regarding our press release on the lack of labelling of GM soy isolate

19.12.2022 Email reply from MPI on the labelling of Impossible Burger

13.3.2023 Email Correspondence with MPI regarding documents and consultation with Impossible foods

16.3.2023 OIA23-0078 An update on your request, reply from MPI

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

13.10.2021 Response from MFAT regarding further position on synthetic biology

18.7.2021 GE Free OIA request - Regarding position and the ENV CBD regarding GMO and gene drive/editing and synthetic biology

13.9.2021 Reply OIA 27593 MFAT - Reply with information on their position

13.9.2021 Redacted OIA 27593 reply- emails and briefing to Minister from 21 February 2021 - July 2021.

Ministry for the Environment

01.09.2021 OIAD-106 MfE response full briefing minutes detaining advice to Ministers on HSNO changes regarding the regulation of genome-edited organisms in the HSNO Act. consideration of regulatory review

02.06.2021 OIA request HSNO Act and Gene Edited Organisms request for briefing minutes to the Minister regarding the HSNO Act.

AgResearch - OIA

GE Animals Ruakura facility ERMA 200223

15/10/2023 - OIA request to AgResearch regarding GE animals at Ruakura facility ERMA 200223

20/10/2023 - OIA Transfer of ERMA20223 request from EPA  to AgResearch - Cath Spiller

09/11/2023 - ENQ-46907-B2C1L0 / ENQ-46953-R4P3H2 Dr Christopher Hill EPA response

08/11/2023 - OIA reply AgResearch - Nick Barraclough,

ADVERSE EVENT Report A 15088 - Generation of climate-smart cattle from edited embryos

ADVERSE EVENT 320 - breeding of cloned sheep for generating absolute transmitters and phenotypic evaluation

ADVERSE EVENT 349 - breeding of cloned sheep for generating absolute transmitters and phenotypic evaluation

ADVERSE EVENT 350 -  Lambing -breeding of cloned sheep for generating absolute transmitters and phenotypic evaluation

ADVERSE EVENT 352 - Bertha #1917  breeding of cloned sheep for generating absolute transmitters and phenotypic evaluation

ADVERSE EVENT 353 - Martha #1938  breeding of cloned sheep for generating absolute transmitters and phenotypic evaluation

ADVERSE EVENT 354 - #2229  breeding of cloned sheep for generating absolute transmitters and phenotypic evaluation

AgResearch Ruakura Facility MPI Verification reports 

AgResearch GE Rye Grass trials

13.09.2024  OIA reply AgResearch Endophyte Field Trial and Rye Grass.  The Endophytes are genetically engingeered (GE) but the rye grass as a conventional cultivar. 

19.08.2022 - Reply to OIA Request - regarding the 2019-2021 results of the GE ryegrass and forage trials with attachments and redactions.

• HME Rye Grass Field Trial 2021
• Annual Update 2020-2021 - Report outcomes of year 2 of $11,500 GE ryegrass trial  
• PSG Meeting field trial 2019 update  
• Field Trial Update +2021
• 2021 Science update -    

31.05.2021 - OIA request GE Free NZ - regarding the 2019-2021 results of the GE ryegrass and forage trials

16.03.2021 AgResearch Trials in USA, BRS Interstate/Release Permits and Notifications

26.09.2019 - Reply from AgResearch a detailed response on the forage trials undertaken by AgResearch

29.08.19 - OIA Request GE Free NZ regarding GE rye grass trials in the US.

AgResearch contract with Thompson and Clark private investigations of GE Free NZ and the Green Party

10.11.2015 - Attention Nick Daniels in-house emails relating to surveillance of GE Free NZ

23.10.2015 - GE Free NZ GE Animals Thompson and Clark report on GE Animals GE Free NZ to AgResearch

23.11.2015 - Green Party GE Animal Experiments Thompson and Clark  in-house emails relating to surveillance of the Green Party

11.04.2016 - Cancellation of Thompson and Clark  AgResearch emails regarding surveillance of GE Free NZ over the last 10 years @ $2,200/month.

24.07.2018 - Response on request for Thompson and Clark private investigations

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Null Segregants 

23.08.2024 - ENQ-48368-T5P8G2 - the ryegrass proposed for use in the trial are neither genetically modified organisms, nor null segregants as they are defined under statutory determination APP204173. However, because the ryegrass plants would be harbouring gene-edited Epichloë fungi, they must be treated as if they were GMOs themselves, to ensure that the Epichloë remain within the field test.

22.07.24 - ENQ-47517-G4G2C0 - EPA reply providing information on the decisions around Null Segregants, taken 6 months to receive.

5.06.2024 ENQ-47517-G4G2C0. Charges for public documents on null segregants $4,465 discounted from $8,930.

25.03.2024 -  Response from CEO, Dr Freeth denying the reassessment on 'null segregants'.

15.03.2024 - Letter to CEO, Dr Freeth, regarding a Chief Executive Reassessment on APP204173 decision on 'null segregants'

17.10.2022 ENQ-44395-W4W9C4 - EPA response to internal and external correspondence received or generated by the EPA since January 1, 2021, concerning gene editing techniques and their products that specifically concern null segregants.

GE Drive Wasps

04.03.2024 - OIA request for information on Otago University Gene Drive experiment

19.3.2024 - ENQ-47619-Y8X5H3 EPA reply saying they have not approved any wasp gene drive experiments.

Binder 1 - documents on determination on Release of ‘null segregants’

Binder 2 - six documents relating to the communication of the null segregants determination. Some information in the documents ‘Back pocket notes null segregants v1’

Binder 3 - Null Segregant Messaging from AgResearch to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). 

GMO applications declined

9.6.2022 ENQ-44016-G6B2C9

Laboratory trials in NZ

07.09.2023 - ENQ 46479 G4K5Q OIA reply to questions on laboratory over sight

07.09.2023 - GE Laboratory application approvals all application codes for GE laboratory trials. 

LMOs imported or exported

19.6.2023 OIA letter to EPA regarding Cartegena Protocol LMO's imported or exported through Biological Clearing House (BCH)

21.6.2023 ENQ-46215-D6H9N3 - Transfer letter to MPI

GE Eucalyptus ERMA200825

12.7.2023 ENQ-46256-M7X7F5 - EPA response to OIA request for ArborGen GE Eucalyptus trial in Te Teko

11.10.2023 - ENQ-46743-G7K8F9 - EPA response Dr Christopher Hill

All genetically modified organisms in development (GMD) Section 42A approvals

All Section 42B GM Import into Containment Approvals

GE Field Trial Annual Reports

 9.11.2023 ENQ-46907-B2C1L0 / ENQ-46953-R4P3H2 EPA response to questions asked on the RAEC reports. 

6.9.22 ENQ-44570-R7Z9F7 response to OIA request for GM annual reports AgResearch and Scion 

15.10.2021 ENQ-42630-X9Q4C0 OIA request for GM annual reports AgResearch and Scion  

GMO Releases of Medicines for Clinical Trials

13.9.2023 ENQ-46574-TOM2M9  EPA response to GE vaccine approvals 

2.6.2021 ENQ-41539-R8X9F1 Telomelysin; phase II clinical trial for patients with inoperable melanoma. Trial not commenced.

31.10.2019 ENQ-37243-M3F1Q2 Response dsRNA re assessment enquiry. 

Plant and Food

24.10.2024 OIA reply PFR Ref. 0918.3.1.09.24 to fermentation of seafood, did not use any GE technologies. 

5.5.2011 OIA Response to research results on animal feeding studies on GM apples 

25.4.2016 OIA16-0146  Ministry of Primary Industries response to the Plant and Food Research Facility Apple breach. 

University of Otago

04.03.2024  Reply to Linda Grammer from on Gene Drive experiment conducted by Professor Dearden 

    Proposed Information for the Endeavour Fund - Research programme application funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Enterprise (MBIE)

 Organic Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ) - Meeting notes

4.12.2023 - BRF - 3967 Secondary Briefing to the Incoming Minister: Hazardous substances, new organisms, and international chemical and waste agreements

6.5.2024 - BRF-4707 Meeting note: Joint ministers meeting on gene technology regulator 

30.5.2024 - BRF-4747 Briefing: Regulation of non-GMO new organisms

11.06.2024 - BRF-4878 Meeting Note: Joint ministers meeting on gene technology regulator

27.06.2024 - BRF-4941 Meeting note: joint ministers meeting on gene technology regulator