Council Outrage Hypocritical

Wednesday 11 Aug 2004

Gerry Eckhoff - Press Releases - Rural

ACT New Zealand Rural Affairs Spokesman Gerry Eckhoff today accused the country's local authorities of being hypocritical on their reported concerns over being stripped of land they own by the impending Foreshore and Seabed Bill.

"This loss has direct parallels with rural land that councils compulsorily acquire when land attached to a water body is sold," Mr Eckhoff said.

"The loss of private property regularly suffered by farmers when marginal strips and esplanade reserves are `laid off' can be directly compared with the Government's proposal to place the foreshore and seabed into Crown ownership.

Councils throughout New Zealand did not raise one whimper when rural private property was being `stolen' under the RMA but, now, they are displaying outage at a potential loss of `their' private land.

"If Local Government New Zealand believes so strongly in the concept of private property, then it should also criticise Labour for the acquisition of marginal strips and esplanade reserves. Anything less is hypocrisy," Mr Eckhoff said.

ENDS

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