ACT Agriculture Spokesman MP Owen Jennings today released results of an extensive survey showing strong feeling in the rural sector that the Government is too lax on border control.

Mr Jennings and other members of the ACT Rural Caucus are attending the Fieldays at Mystery Creek.

"The conclusions of the recent ACT survey are clear," Owen Jennings said.

"Rural New Zealand is unimpressed by the government’s response to the foot and mouth crisis, and is calling for more action to protect our border.

"The massive number of responses we received shows this – over eight thousand people took the trouble to return the questionnaire. Many people wrote letters and comments as well. Rural people are worried and rightly so: they think the Government isn’t listening.

"Nearly a third of the respondents believe the Government is 'recklessly endangering the country,' with only 4.6 per cent finding the government’s response 'satisfactory'.

"Sixty per cent of respondents thought the Government’s response was 'too relaxed'. That’s over five thousand people saying the government should do more to protect farmers' livelihoods.

"ACT has taken the initiative to find out about the feelings of rural New Zealand. In fact, at the Fieldays we are surveying farmers for their opinions on the RMA.

"We have a clear mandate for ACT to continue to press the government on their policies on border control, and in Parliament and in other forums, we will be doing just that,” Owen Jennings said.

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