PRESS RELEASE LIBERTARIANZ PROPERTY RIGHTS

Votes Worth More Than Property Rights

The Government's move to review the Overseas Investment Act was described today as "just a further degradation of private property rights for the sake of vote scabbing" by Libertarianz Deputy Stephen Berry, who says "who people choose to sell their land to is the business of nobody but that seller and a willing buyer. [Finance Minister] Michael Cullen appears so eager to trample the rights of property owners for the sake of those who vote on envy, thus once again proving his Government to be the preposterous in pursuit of the envious."

Dr. Cullen thinks it is legitimate for New Zealanders to be concerned about foreign land ownership and that they should maintain control over 'their' country. Stephen Berry disagrees. Strongly. "There is no 'New Zealand Inc.' owning this country on behalf of all New Zealanders. Individual New Zealanders only own what they own. The person who rightfully makes the decision about what happens on or with a piece of land is the person who owns it. Full stop."

Following his purchase of 202 hectares of land near Nelson, American Alan Trent has been on the receiving end of what Berry describes as "vengeful cultural collectivists." Trent stated that the opposition came from those who 'don't have that much - don't even own their own homes.' Berry says that this is proof of the envy motivating those who expect the state to prevent foreign land ownership.

Greens co-leader Rod Donald showed his lack of economic nous by linking the review, which aims for greater economic restrictions, to the Government's intention to pursue a free trade agreement with the USA. "Donald wouldn't know the meaning of free trade if it slapped him with a tax-free cheque book," Berry says.

Berry sums up the Libertarianz party's position by saying, "The rights of an individual to exercise sovereignty over their own land are absolutely paramount. We cannot sacrifice these for the sake of red-shirted purveyors of envy. If it is not your land, what happens on it is not your business!"

ENDS

Stephen Berry Libertarianz Deputy 0210375720 stephenberry@xtra.co.nz

More Freedom - Less Government www.libertarianz.org.nz

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