Upper Hutt Mayor Is Seeking Urgent Meeting With Minister Paul Swain To Discuss Proposed Closure Of Agresearch

Upper Hutt’s Mayor Wayne Guppy said today that he is urgently seeking a meeting with Rimutaka MP and Cabinet Minister Paul Swain to discuss the proposed closure of the AgResearch campus at Wallaceville, Upper Hutt.

“I have so far been unable to get to talk to Paul Swain,” said Mayor Guppy. “Paul Swain is well aware of how important AgResearch is to Upper Hutt. It has been in Upper Hutt for nearly 100 years and is an icon industry for the city”.

Mayor Guppy said that he was confident that Paul Swain has the ability to influence the outcome at AgResearch particularly considering that Mr Swain is one of the two Government shareholding Ministers of this crown research institute.

“I am sure that Paul Swain will want to do his best for Upper Hutt on this one” said Mayor Guppy.

“Upper Hutt is still reeling from the closure of the last Government institution in the city, the CIT, and is not going to accept the closure of Wallaceville AgResearch Centre without a fight”.