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Slater & Gordon takes on GM canola spill case
Slater & Gordon will provide legal advice to the grain farmers whose properties may have been endangered by a truck fire and spillage of genetically modified canola in WA.
The New Lawyer
NATIONAL law firm Slater & Gordon has today confirmed it will provide legal advice and support to the grain farmers whose properties may have been endangered by a truck fire and spillage of genetically modified canola in Western Australia yesterday.
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Fears of contamination have been raised by the spillage of 15 tonnes of genetically modified canola on to a highway.
It is reported a fire broke out in the vehicle's undercarriage, melting a hole in its trailer.
The grain cooperative CBH Group said a professional waste removal company has been employed to clean up the spill and minis rise of contamination of non-GM crops.
Slater & Gordon practice group leader Mark Walter said the Safe Food Foundation had retained the law firm to provide legal advice and support to the GM free grain growers whose properties may be affected by the spillage.
“Our firm will be looking at the legal issues around this case and who is legally responsible for what happened,” Walter said.
“We are concerned that the present laws and regulations do not adequately cover the myriad of situations that we seeing in Australia from the introduction of genetically modified food and crops.
“It is not fair that a group of farmers, who are wishing to grow their grain GM free, have their livelihoods and crops endangered through no fault of their own.”
This legal work follows Slater & Gordon’s announcement on July 28 that it would lodge a claim on behalf of Kojonup farmer Steve Marsh. In that case, the claim will allege that Mr Marsh’s suffered loss as a result of GM contamination, causing him to lose his organic farming status.
