Kiwis want tighter rules for overseas land ownership

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Mon, 20 Feb 2012 6:01p.m.

3 in 4 Kiwis are worried about land falling into the hands of foreigners

3 in 4 Kiwis are worried about land falling into the hands of foreigners

By Political Editor Duncan Garner

An overwhelming number of Kiwi voters have sent a message to Prime Minister John Key over farm sales to foreigners: Tighten the rules.

A special 3 News Reid Research poll shows 3 in 4 Kiwis are worried about land falling into the hands of foreigners and, worryingly for Mr Key, many of them are National voters.

But the Prime Minister says he is not convinced of a law change, given the High Court ruling last week that put the Crafar farms sale on hold. He says that ruling has effectively tightened the law.

The sale of Crafar farms to Chinese investor Shanghai Penguinx has been controversial; the Government rubber-stamped the deal, but a High Court judge has since blocked the sale, questioning the economic benefit to New Zealand.

The 3 News Reid Research poll asked respondents: “Do you want the rules tightened to make it more difficult for foreigners to buy land if they live overseas?”

  • 76 percent said Yes
  • 21 percent said No

It’s a clear signal to Mr Key to change the law, but he’s not overly convinced.

“New Zealand is a difficult place to buy land if you’re a foreigner.”

Mr Key says the High Court judge’s decision over the Crafar farms may have already raised the bar and made it harder, meaning the law has just been tightened anyway.

“It’s also possible that effectively, a tightening of the law has just taken place,” he said.

Of the National voters polled:

  • 69 percent said they wanted the rules tightened
  • 28 percent said No

Of the Labour voters polled:

  • 81 percent said they wanted the rules tightened
  • 16 percent said No

Of the Green voters polled:

  • 82 percent said they wanted the rules tightened
  • 15 percent said No

Of the NZ First voters polled:

 
  • 96 percent said they wanted the rules tightened
  • 2 percent said No

Public opinion is loud and clear, but Mr Key says National hasn’t sold a lost of farms compared to domestic sales.

“If you look at the reality of what has been sold under National, it’s not excessive – it’s 72 farms out of 45,000 in the past 18 months,” he says.

The OIO must now review the Crafar decision and come up with a new recommendation.

The Chinese may still get the nod – but it will require Government approval, and the voters are giving Mr Key a strong, simply message: Don’t do it.

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Comments

21 Feb 2012 04:42a.m.

JChen wrote:

We can lend the farm to foreigners, rather than sale to them.

20 Feb 2012 08:59p.m.

Chris wrote:

Agreed #1, the widespread opposition to this sale has nothing to do with xenophobia, and its disingenuous of people to suggest otherwise. Rich foreigners coming in and buying farms is bad enough, but in the case of the Crafar deal, we are talking about a significant chunk of a strategic asset being sold to a foreign power. This is of course all strategic thinking on the part of China - clearly they would prefer to control milk production, instead of queueing up to buy it like everyone else. I just don't understand why Key is so desperate to let them have the golden goose.

20 Feb 2012 08:29p.m.

David Smart wrote:

Are these the same people that invested in NZ Finance Companies?

20 Feb 2012 08:19p.m.

Tom Ang wrote:

The question is what is best in the long run for New Zealand; not the quick, immediate buck. Selling land is selling New Zealand's family silver, its jewels. And remember what gets sold is the best farming land. Can we trust foreign stewardship? Can we trust that the land will not be pillaged and made barrent like millions of hectares of Chinese soil? Changing the law to tighten the rules is not zenophobia but plain commonsense.