Media Release

ACT Party Leader Jamie Whyte

11 August 2014

Whose land is it anyway?

“Last Saturday I called the other leaders in the TV3 minor party leaders debate communistic. This might seem an exaggeration but it is not,” said ACT leader Jamie Whyte

“Discussing the sale of Lochinver Farm, the leaders of NZ First, the Greens, the Conservatives and Mana-Internet all talked about “our” land. Where did these leaders get this idea that land does not belong to actual real people. How could they in a property owning democracy get the idea that the decision about who could be sold to belongs to the government.” said Dr Whyte.

“This attitude is certainly reflective of the collectivist ideas that prevailed in 20th century fascist and communist countries. It echoes the ideas of communism that land is in the control of the Government.”

“The farm in question belongs to the Stevenson family. It is theirs to sell as they see fit. The farm is not “ours” to sell or to keep,” said Dr Whyte

“These leaders also kept claiming that “New Zealanders do not want their land sold to foreigners. What nonsense. No New Zealander is forced to sell their lands to a foreigners. If the Stevensons did not want to sell their farm to a foreign buyer, they would not have done so.”

“It is true that some New Zealanders do not want other New Zealanders to sell their land to foreigners. But I am afraid it is none of their business whom other people sell their private property to. That’s the whole point of property rights.”

“Private property is the foundation of a liberal and prosperous society.

Since Labour also supports a ban on the sale of privately owned land to foreigners we now have the situation that all political parties except ACT and National now reject that cornerstone principle of the rights of New Zealanders. Nothing could be more important than keeping such people out of government.” said Dr Whyte

“That the Labour Party, New Zealand First, the Conservative Party, Mana-Internet and the Greens want to have a Government that will ride rough shod over this precious right should be the major issue of this election”

“ACT stands fast for the rights of New Zealand property owners.”

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