No Rights of Access to $11.5 Million Dollar Saudi Farm
Exclusive:
No Rights of Access
to $11.5 Million Dollar Saudi
Farm
WEDNESDAY 27 MAY 2015
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Taxpayers’ Union
has uncovered that despite taxpayers forking out $11.5
million to build an ‘Agri-hub' in Saudi Arabia, officials
failed to secure any contractual rights of access to the
privately owned farm. Taxpayers’ UnionExecutive Director,
Jordan Williams, says:
“According to New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, it has no rights of access to the farm, which was built for the purpose of trade delegations. The Saudi farmer can lock the gate and New Zealand officials can do zip.”
"The very investors this
Agri-hub targets are also the very competition the Al-Khalaf
group will hope to avoid. Why would the Al-Khalaf group
allow access?"
“Satellite images may be as close as
taxpayers can come to seeing the farm they paid for. A model
farm without the access."
“This is Yes Minister stuff. A
six million dollar farm, no strings
attached.”
Communications between NZTA officials and
the Taxpayers' Union confirming that NZTA negotiated
no contractual rights for delegations to tour the Agri-hub
are available on
request.
ENDS