David Carter National Party Agriculture Spokesman

17 November 2004

Govt prepares to kick for touch on land access

The Government is preparing to kick the land access issue into touch before the election, says National's Agriculture spokesman David Carter.

Yesterday, Associate Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor said, at a Federated Farmers meeting in Greymouth, that the Government might appoint another committee to look further into the land access issue.

Mr Carter says the Government knows their proposals will become a major election issue, so they have decided to stall the process with another slow-moving report.

"But it's cold comfort for farmers, who know that yet another committee will only delay the inevitable - 'right to roam' in sheep's clothing.

"Farmers have had this noose around their necks for over two years while the Government has procrastinated."

The Land Access Reference Group reported in August last year, and at the time Jim Sutton promised the policy would be prepared within six months.

"Make no mistake. This issue will return after the election if Labour is re-elected. A vote for Labour is a vote for the 'right to roam' over our farms," said Mr Carter.

ENDS

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