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Government Procrastination Criticised
ACT New Zealand called for a snap debate today on the Government’s decision not to eradicate the Varroa Bee Mite.
Owen Jennings, ACT’s spokesman on Rural Affairs, led the hour and a half debate with a stinging attack on the Minister of Biosecurity, Marion Hobbs, for her failure to make an earlier decision and attempt eradication.
Other parties including the Greens, NZ First, and National all joined ACT in condemning the Government’s decision.
“The Minister dithered for three months knowing she had a finite window of opportunity in which to act. She should have taken the advice, provisional as it may have been, to have a go at eradication before the end of winter.
“The lack of leadership, and the wishy washy decision making by this Minister, has offended both beekeepers and the agricultural/horticultural industries who will suffer adverse affects and increased costs due to her inaction”, said Owen Jennings.
ENDS
Alastair Thompson
Scoop Publisher
Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.
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