Green Party critical of Ag Research censorship

Attempts by Crown Research Institute Ag Research to stifle a scientific report critical of its practices are disturbing and verge on censorship, the Green Party says.

Internal documents released to the Dominion Post showed the agricultural research organisation tried to delay Professor Jack Heinemann's report, which was critical of its risk management programme and practices at its genetic engineering laboratories.

According to the documents, Ag Research sought international experts who could refute Professor Heinemann's claims.

Green Party MP Sue Kedgley said it was highly disturbing that a scientific organisation would seek to shut down research critical of it, and attempt to discredit the scientist who wrote the report.

"A scientific organisation should welcome scientific debate, not seek to suppress it. The tactics it employed to delay the report's release and discredit the scientist are underhanded and verge on censorship," she said.

"It undermines the credibility of a scientific organisation and shows the lengths the organisation will go to to push its pro-GE agenda."