Gene technology & Aotearoa: What Youth Parliament had to say
By Arshita Bhardwaj, Youth Press Gallery, Youth Parliament 2025
Pictured from left to right: Ben Coull (Co-chair for the GeneTech working group and Youth MP for Hon Nicole McKee), Hunter McKay Fairfax Heath (Youth MP for Todd Stephenson), Daniel Zhao (Co-chair of GeneTech working group and Youth MP for Tim van de Molen)
Note: Articles in this newsletter edition were produced by the Youth Press Gallery at various stages of the Youth Parliament 2025 programme. Accordingly, the content presented reflects the context and timing at the date of its original writing.
Early July 2025, eight Youth MPs from across Aotearoa New Zealand gathered in the GeneTech Parliamentary Working Group to discuss the growing impact of gene technology on New Zealand communities. As gene editing becomes more integrated into sectors from agriculture to medicine, the working group focused on how different parts of the country, especially the workforce, are responding, and how youth perspectives can shape future policy.
A major divide emerged in the conversations between rural and urban priorities. For rural communities, the discussion centered around the risks of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the cultural and economic implications for farming. Many rural Youth MPs voiced concerns about New Zealand’s “GMO-free” image and how gene-edited crops, or livestock could challenge export markets or environmental values. Others saw opportunities such as disease-resistant crops or improved animal welfare but urged strong regulation.
On the urban side, the focus was squarely on health and medical applications. Here, gene tech was seen more as a life-saving tool. Urban Youth MPs highlighted how technologies like CRISPR are changing the landscape of modern medicine, offering the potential for targeted, less invasive treatments and long-term solutions to genetic disorders. Rather than discussing specific cases, the emphasis was on how these tools represent a shift in how we approach healthcare and the growing optimism around their potential.
Dr. Suzanne Reid, a genetics lecturer at the University of Auckland, provided crucial context to the group. She explained how the public's understanding of genetics has grown in recent years, thanks in part to the COVID-19 pandemic and high-profile technologies like CRISPR. “Genetics used to feel abstract,” she said. “Now it’s something people can grasp, even if they don’t understand the intricate science behind it.”
Youth MPs agreed that public understanding of gene technology remains uneven and if Aotearoa New Zealand is to navigate its genetic future responsibly, that needs to change. A vital point raised in the discussion was that gene technology is not a distant concept, it’s a tool already being used around the world. For New Zealand, staying informed and engaged is not just a matter of ethics, but also of relevance. If the country falls behind in understanding and applying gene tech, it risks losing ground both scientifically and economically.
Education emerged as a key recommendation from the group. They called for stronger integration of genetics and biotechnology into both high school and university curricula. However, they acknowledged that teachers are already stretched thin. If educators aren’t connected to current research, their teaching could quickly become outdated in such a fast-moving field.
In the end, the Youth MPs agreed: gene tech is not just a scientific tool, but a social one, one that’s reshaping farming, medicine, and what it means to be informed citizens in a rapidly changing world. The more open and well-informed the public is, the better New Zealand can navigate its genetic future.