By Duncan Garner
Labour leader David Shearer says the Government must not sell the 16 former Crafar farms to a Chinese company as it's not in the national interest.
Mr Shearer is in Taupo for his first caucus of the year, and met concerned residents on a nearby Crafar farm.
"We have to draw a line in the sand and say future sales of land like this has to demonstrably benefit New Zealanders," says Mr Shearer.
There are two bids for the Crafar farms - a higher one from a Chinese company, a lower one from a consortium of Kiwi farmers led by Sir Michael Fay.
"What we need to do is give these guys a real shot at buying back this land," says Mr Shearer.
The Overseas Investment Office has made a recommendation to the Government that it's keeping secret. It's the Government that decides, and it's imminent.
If the Chinese buy the land it would have Government SOE Landcorp manage the farms on their behalf, and Mr Shearer says that's just plain stupid.
"What we will see is Landcorp managing it and being a tenant on our own land," he says. "It's nonsense."
The Crafar farm decision is a sensitive and politically difficult one for the Government, especially given the Government's close ties with Beijing.
Increasing land sales to foreigners have become unpopular, and Mr Shearer has done well to put this on the agenda and remind voters a Labour govt would say no to the Chinese.
3 News