Thanks Mr Feary, Says Eckhoff

Monday 13 Sep 2004

Gerry Eckhoff - Press Releases - Rural

The Conservation Department's bullying of a farming family will lose it any vestige of credibility, and cost taxpayers millions of dollars, ACT New Zealand Rural Affairs Spokesman Gerry Eckhoff said today.

"Mount Oxford leaseholders, Mark and Karen Feary, have agreed to give up their land to DoC's tender mercies after a long battle with officialdom," Mr Eckhoff said.

"The Department's stand over tactics has worn down even the redoubtable Mr Feary. It attempted to cover up its ineptitude with a confidentiality clause but, thanks to Mr Feary's resilience, it failed.

"New Zealand's farming community owes the Fearys a huge debt of gratitude for fighting and winning their 20-year battle against a seemingly never-ending bureaucracy.

"The stress, anguish and financial burden carried by the Fearys for so long must be met with a substantial payment.

"Thanks to Mr Feary's determination to see justice being done in the public arena, the public will now get to know just how expensive DoC really is," Mr Eckhoff said.

ENDS

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