Nelson MP Nick Smith is astonished that ENZA Chairman Tony Gibbs has criticised National for considering legislation to resolve the ENZA dispute on the basis of private property rights.

"Only a week ago ENZA wanted Parliament to pass a levy onto all apple growers to fund ENZA's debts. This was an outrageous proposal that would have cost independent growers millions of dollars when they are neither shareholders nor suppliers of ENZA.

"As a last resort, National proposed legislation to ensure clarity that the company meet its liabilities and not abuse its position by just taking the money out of growers accounts. If ENZA had behaved as a responsible corporate, legislation would never have had to be considered.

"The 1999 legislation is absolutely plain that the company takes both the assets and the liabilities of the former Apple and Pear Marketing Board. It has only been slick PR and ENZA's powerful position as controller of the cashflow that has enabled it to try and take the money from growers.

"Mr Gibbs has also argued strongly against deregulation and wants Parliament to maintain ENZA's near monopoly. If anybody is in the financial dark ages it is Mr Gibbs.

"ENZA needs to recognise the winds of change, accept the liabilities it bought with the company's assets and start treating its grower suppliers with respect. ENZA has two weeks to resolve this issue or National will propose legislative amendments to take it beyond doubt," Dr Smith said.

Ends

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>