Rt Hon Winston Peters
New Zealand First Leader
Member of Parliament for Northland
31 DECEMBER 2015

Federated Farmers abandons political neutrality

New Zealand First says a Federated Farmers “survey,” which shows high farmer satisfaction with the government, is as reliable as a North Korean plebiscite.

“Federated Farmers President, Dr William Rolleston, speaks a lot about scientific method, but this “survey” falls far short of that standard,” says the Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“Such a self-selecting “survey,” as this is, would make Kim Jong-Un blush and shows an appalling slip in judgement for a body that claims political neutrality.

“Given Federated Farmers says it has 14,000 members, far from showing satisfaction with National, it perhaps reveals the opposite. While 913 members may carry National Party cards, 12,900 members, or 92%, never replied to this “survey.”

“Given tens of thousands of farmers are not members of the Federation, it is specious to claim 83% farmer satisfaction with the government.

“Admittedly, this may not be the attitude in the rarefied National Party circles inhabited by the Federated Farmers senior leadership, but for real farmers, deep in debt and fighting for survival in an El Nino summer, they’re right to be worried.

“There’s plenty for farmers to be angry about with little real RMA reform, a lack of investment in rural roads and reliable rural mobile services. Then there is National’s ruination of the Russian market, which Federated Farmers has been mute on.

“Not to mention the abysmal proposed sale of Silver Fern Farms.

“Surely, the voice of farmers and farming should show an independence of mind and spirit instead of appearing to be the Prime Minister’s toothless Blue Heeler,” Mr Peters said.

ENDS

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