Time line

November 2000
A batch of apparently uncontaminated sweet corn seed arrives in NZ. Tests in NZ show there is a low level of contamination and further tests are ordered.

24 November 2000
A range of further tests show both positive and negative results from laboratories in NZ, the US and Australia.

24 November 2000
The Government is first alerted to the GE contamination by Bas Walker, ERMA. He states, "Bear in mind that in this case there are already several positive tests for contamination which can hardly be ignored."

5 December 2000
Final results are returned from GeneScan (Australia) giving a positive determination of GE contamination (at low levels). They state, "Our experience in qualitative testing leads us to believe the samples received contain trace amounts of GM sweet corn."

5 December 2000
Donald Hannah (ERMA scientist) compiles the final analysis of all the results stating there is - after all uncertainties have been taken into account (false positives, possible bacterial contamination etc) - a low level of GE contamination in the samples.

The Government has admitted that no further tests or analyses have been undertaken on the GE contaminated corn. Bas Walker, 12 July 2002, "there was no other written analysis of the test beyond this (Donald Hannah's) memorandum."

December 2000
Government begins determining a policy for a 0.5% threshold of allowable contamination which will allow this contaminated consignment of seeds to remain in the ground.

11 December 2000
Cabinet misled. Papers presented to Cabinet stating, "Ministers are advised that for purely practical reasons, the system would have to be set up in relation to a very low level but nevertheless explicit level of allowable inadvertent contamination. The present interim proposal is for a maximum of 0.5% contamination in sweet corn."

19 December 2000
Marion Hobbs finally goes to the media to explain the story of the GE contaminated corn and a change to regulations allowing some level of contamination. To avoid too much interest in the issue no press conference was held and reference to the GE corn was buried halfway into the press release.

14 January 2001
Internal Government emails show the Government still considering destroying contaminated corn crops.

15 January 2001
Confidential memo from two ERMA Board members to the ERMA Board states, "Since we know that the Novartis sweet corn is contaminated, is it acceptable that it should remain in the ground?" and "… it is a very substantial number of completely uncontrolled GM plants now growing in the field."

No word has been heard, since the Seeds of Distrust, launch from one of the authors of this memo Dr Oliver Sutherland or from Dr Donald Hannah of ERMA.

24 January 2001
Internal Government emails (author and Department have been deleted in copies obtained by Greenpeace) suggest imposition of an interim policy of an allowable level of contamination is illegal.

July 2001
New interim policy finally established (allowing contaminated corn to have been grown and harvested) which sets a 'zero tolerance' threshold based on a testing regime demanding 99% accuracy in proving any contamination is below 0.5%.

10 July 2002
The book 'Seeds of Distrust' is released.

11 July 2002
Government implement a strategy of diversion, denial and confusion.

Government call the book a Green Party conspiracy and begin sowing scientific confusion by referring to the difference between threshold and testing standards.

Helen Clark and Marion Hobbs both contradict the scientific case for GE contamination in corn imported in November 2000. Helen Clark stated "there was no GM proven in the seeds" and, "extensive testing could not find any evidence of GM presence in those plants".

Marian Hobbs stated, "It cannot be claimed therefore that GM material was released."

12 July 2002. Mr Bas Walker, Chair of ERMA stated on Checkpoint, National Radio on that "at no stage have we said categorically there was no contamination".