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Winston Peters - NZ First won’t be silent over ‘Big Kiwi Sell-off’

 

 

2015 Winston Peters-316There’s an old saying: Big money talks.

You can believe it when you look at New Zealand. When cashed up foreigners arrive on our shores looking for bargains we have a National government that goes weak at the knees and then swings the doors open to welcome them – and their money.

The Te Arai Beach development, which Mangawhai Focus readers will be well aware of, is an example.

A Los Angeles billionaire thinks the area is an ideal spot to establish a links-style golf course and 40 or so luxury homes for some of his fellow high rolling buddies. He partners up with a New Zealander who specialises in these projects and they go to work.

Next, the local iwi come on board and the whole project is up and running like a juggernaut.

That may seem fine but where are the locals in this? They are treated like a minor inconvenience who can be easily rolled over.

There’s got to be a careful balancing act between an international heavyweight’s desires and looking after the interests of locals. It can be done.

Look at how Te Arai locals were treated when they submitted a petition to Auckland council signed by 6100 people protesting against project decisions made without consulting the public.

What did the council do? They looked at it and forgot about it. The petition was swept aside.

When New Zealand First raised the issue of not consulting the public over a change to the beach access road at Te Arai, Minister of Finance Steven Joyce claimed the change improved access. Locals disagreed, but tough luck for them. According to Mr Joyce, they don’t need to be consulted. Their opinions don’t count.

We see this sort of behaviour with the sale of New Zealand land and businesses to foreigners. If you believe the government it’s all good and if you speak up against it – you’re ignored.

As a result, our red meat industry is now largely under foreign control; most of our forests are owned by foreign companies; our wineries are largely foreign owned; our major banks are Australian owned – and these are just a few examples.

This month an idyllic station on the shores of Lake Hawea in the South Island, Hunter Valley Station, joined the long list of high country stations that have disappeared into foreign hands.

Last year between January and December the Overseas Investment Office rubber-stamped 87 sales covering a gross land area of 362,132 hectares.

And so, on it goes – the big Kiwi sell-off of land and businesses and National expects us to keep quiet and let it happen. NZ First won’t.

There’s a big difference between foreign investment we need and that work for us, and foreign buy-ups and takeovers that are just to put large profits into the overseas bank accounts of international entrepreneurs and companies.

Other countries take care of their assets. They know that once the land is gone it is usually gone for good. Yes, let’s develop but be very careful about who we sign our assets over to, and make sure every detail is vetted and locals concerns are thoroughly sorted before there’s any go-ahead.

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