For immediate release

3 February 2025

Scion believes gene technology is key to delivering significant benefits for New Zealand, and we support proposed regulatory changes to better enable its development.

In its submission on the government's Gene Technology Bill, the Crown Research Institute says the changes will help New Zealand remain competitive on a global scale.

“Other countries are already adopting gene technologies to generate economic benefits and protect human and environmental health while developing cleaner and more sustainable processes,” says Dr Alec Foster, Scion’s acting General Manager – Forests to Biobased Products.

“To remain competitive, New Zealand needs a regulatory framework that enables collaborative advanced technology development while honouring our unique cultural heritage and environmental stewardship responsibilities.”

The Bill’s purpose is to enable the safe use of gene technologies and regulated organisms by managing the risks they pose to people and the environment. Alec says it will facilitate a collaborative, co-ordinated science approach that will give New Zealand a pathway towards economic prosperity, social advancement and environmental innovation.

“These proposed regulations lay the foundations for New Zealand's future bioeconomy - where advances in food and fibre production and sustainable technology drive economic growth and tackle global challenges.”

Consultation on the Bill is open until February 17 and Scion encourages people to share their views as part of this process.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon recently announced plans to ease restrictions on gene technologies by the end of 2025 to enable research and product development. This change will boost New Zealand's productivity and innovation across healthcare, climate solutions and export markets.

“New Zealand has historically relied on imported gene technology products, while our regulations have constrained domestic research and innovation,” Alec says. “Now, as technologies advance and global regulations evolve, New Zealand is modernising its regulatory framework to capitalise on these opportunities.”

As New Zealand's leading institute for industrial biotechnology and forestry, Scion is pioneering multiple gene technology projects. This research delivers sustainable solutions across biofuels, bioplastics, high-value chemicals and nutraceuticals, using waste biomass and greenhouse gases as feedstocks.

“We're advancing research on enhanced carbon sequestration in trees and conducting world-first field trials of gene-edited conifers designed to improve forest productivity and enable future biorefinery applications,” Alec says.

These and other initiatives help showcase the direct benefits of gene technology in addressing complex environmental and economic challenges, particularly across the forestry and industrial sectors.