Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Onetai Station review a shameful whitewash


David Cunliffe

MP for New Lynn

Land Information Spokesperson

MEDIA STATEMENT
24 June 2016

Onetai Station review a shameful whitewash

A report released today on the Overseas Investment Office’s (OIO) good character test is a whitewash that does nothing to improve New Zealand’s overseas investment regime, says Labour’s Land Information spokesperson David Cunliffe.

“The review of the good character test only came about after Labour did a Google search on the OIO-approved purchasers of Onetai Station, which found they had been prosecuted for criminal pollution in Argentina.

“Instead of the robust investigation that was promised, this report looks like a watered down version designed to prop up the struggling OIO. It took less than a month and only looked into a handful of other cases.

“The biggest recommendation is to provide Google searches to the Minister to help assess cases. That is basic stuff and doesn’t shore up the good character test. The changes must be much more comprehensive than that.

“The use of bearer shares, as happened in the Onetai Station case, makes it ‘very difficult’ to establish ownership, yet the OIO will still allow applicants to use them under certain conditions. That’s puzzling logic, given this review was supposed to tighten up our overseas investment regime.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

“Minister Upston must fess up about how many previous approvals involved the use of bearer shares and how the OIO was able to check the good character of the applicants if ownership couldn’t be verified.

“The report says that Ministers must take into account ‘offences or contraventions of the law’. It remains to be seen whether this has occurred in all recent cases.

“The good character test must be tightened up. This review doesn’t achieve that,” says David Cunliffe.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.