Under proposed changes to our gene technology legislation, Australia could be the first country in the world to allow the environmental release of a dangerous new genetic extinction technology called gene drives.
CSIRO and the University of Adelaide scientists have already begun US military funded research to develop a gene drive mouse with the aim of driving the species to extinction in islands in Western Australia. And these same CSIRO scientists are advising the Government on how this research should be regulated!
The release of gene drives could drive species to extinction globally - with devastating ecological consequences in regions where ...
Under proposed changes to our gene technology legislation, Australia could be the first country in the world to allow the environmental release of a dangerous new genetic extinction technology called gene drives.
CSIRO and the University of Adelaide scientists have already begun US military funded research to develop a gene drive mouse with the aim of driving the species to extinction in islands in Western Australia. And these same CSIRO scientists are advising the Government on how this research should be regulated!
The release of gene drives could drive species to extinction globally - with devastating ecological consequences in regions where those species naturally occur. And the fact that this research is being funded by the US military suggests that they intend to weaponise it. Even gene drive proponents have now admitted that the gene drives are too risky to be released into the environment.
Please draft a short submission to the Department of Health opposing the proposed weakening of our gene technology legislation. This would allow the environmental release of gene drives and the deregulation of new genetic modification (GM) techniques such as CRISPR.
View the Department of Health discussion paper.
Read our briefing on CSIRO’s gene drive research.
Submissions close on Thu 24th May.