Ron Mark MP

New Zealand First Deputy Leader
11 SEPTEMBER 2015

Superfund “Neither Confirm Or Deny” Over Silver Fern Farms

Any announcement on the sale of New Zealand’s largest beef exporter Silver Fern Farms has been delayed after efforts by New Zealand First to shine light on the issue.

“There is no doubt that New Zealand First and the efforts of Rt Hon Winston Peters to shine some sunlight on foreign moves for Silver Fern Farms, has thrown more than a few spanners in the works,” says Deputy Leader Ron Mark.

“We are hearing that there is potentially New Zealand interests emerging that could detail China’s Bright Food bid for half of Silver Fern Farms for at least $100 million.

“If it is Bright Food then that is concerning given it is a Chinese state-owned enterprise and already has a majority stake in Synlait, our fourth largest dairy processor.

“In terms of the government’s role we have Official Information Act requests out but today, we received the first one back from the NZ Super Fund.

“We wanted to know if they had any approaches from Silver Fern Farms or Goldman Sachs, which started advising Silver Fern Farms on its capital options late last year.

“In a reply Donald Rumsfeld would be proud of, the NZ Superfund answered, ‘that the Guardians neither confirms nor denies the existence or non-existence of the information requested’.

“Our latest update tells us an announcement may be made next week, which is when New Zealand First intends to table our Meat Industry Restructuring Bill,”says Mr Mark.

ENDS

© Scoop Media