Labour's Bullyboy Tactics

ACT New Zealand Rural Affairs Spokesman Gerry Eckhoff today accused Labour of resorting to bullyboy tactics to force the cancellation of an important biosecurity conference scheduled for late July.

"The organisers of this conference are reluctant to discuss which Government departments - or officials have exerted this pressure but, clearly, the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry is one," Mr Eckhoff said.

"It is clear that, in light of the embarrassing number of incursions into New Zealand in recent months - along with the recent GE sweet corn debacle - Ministers and their departments have withdrawn support for public discussion on this important issue.

"It is obvious that, by ensuring the cancellation of this conference, they are actively seeking to quell public criticism of the Government's handling of biosecurity issues. It is totally wrong for the Government to exert bullyboy tactics on a private organisation whose only `crime' was to further the cause of biodiversity knowledge in this country," Mr Eckhoff said.

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