August 16, 2002

New Zealand's election results show the "Greens" now will not be in a position to bring down a new government over the issue of releasing genetically modified organisms. The Greens had promised to bring any government down if that government intended to lift the moratorium on GMOs that runs through October 2003.

A new report from USDA says it appears the Greens "have lost their position of relative power and United Future seems to be a party without any clear opposition to GMOs. The National Party achieved one of its worst results ever while NZ First and United Future profited from a shift in voter attitudes towards alternative parties.

The 120 seats in parliament are distributed as: Labour 52, National 27, NZ First 13, Act 9, United Future 9, Greens 8, Progressive Coalition 2. Labour likely will establish a formal minority coalition government with the Progressive Coalition and rely on informal working relationships with other parties to get needed Parliamentary majorities.

Labour leader Helen Clark is talking to the Greens and United Future about possible working relationships. She will include the Progressive Coalition in her government as she promised to do before the elections.

The leader of United Future, Peter Dunne, also indicated before the election that his party could form a coalition with both Labour or National. If United Future gives its support to Labour and Labour chooses to form a coalition government they would have 63 out of the 120 seats in parliament.

United Future has not developed an anti-GMO position, and it is unlikely that it will do so. Consequently, Labour would be in a position to lift the moratorium, which it would like to do, without requiring the Green Party's vote.