Labour’s High Country policy has multiple flaws
Released 18 Oct 2011
The Labour Party's plan to drop the High Country tenure review process in favour of direct acquisition of properties for the Department of Conservation estate if elected into power is flawed on many fronts.
"There are several problems with the plan of acquiring future conservation land by direct purchase, starting with the fact it would run roughshod over the intent of the Resource Management Act, which is supposed to be one of the primary mechanisms for controlling what happens in environmentally sensitive areas," Federated Farmers High Country spokesman William Rolleston said.
"Just because a law won't work for them, should not mean a political party has free reign to make up new rules that suit them better in any particular instance.
"While we are talking about legality, this policy would also directly contravene the outcome of a 2009 High Court decision on pastoral leases declared the lessee or farmer had the same absolute title rights as any other land owner or lessee.
"In that case, brought by Fish & Game to test what public rights of access existed on High Country land, the courts determined High Country families have the same rights as any other landowner or lessee. In most instances those 200 to 300 families have been on the land for generations and have a profound interest in the sustainable and environmentally sound use of their land into the future.
"This policy fails to acknowledge the enormous amount of work and investment made by these farmers to rid their land of pest and weed species. Nor does it take into account the huge tracks of land which have been protected under QEII Trust covenants for future generations of New Zealanders to enjoy.
"This policy would force these farmers off their land and the taxpayer would have to take on the responsibility of looking after these fragile environments. It should be noted the existing Doc estate has become a burden in these economically difficult times.
"This policy strikes me as the politics of envy, designed to appeal to people whose knowledge of the New Zealand High Country is restricted to postcards and occasional glimpses on television," Dr Rolleston concluded.
For further information:
Dr William Rolleston, Federated Farmers High Country spokesman, 027 246 0634
