16 November 2007
High Country Oppression Continues

New Zealanders are starting to wake up to the fact that the government is waging a campaign of oppression against High Country farmers, said Donald Aubrey of Federated Farmers of New Zealand.

“Yesterday the government continued its ill-treatment of the High Country when it named 65 properties to be excluded from the tenure review process.

“The government says that it is looking out for High Country farmers, but there is no evidence that is the case. Recent events are nothing short of abuse,” Mr Aubrey said.

First, High Country farmers are being denied the option of free holding part of their lease in return for giving land back to the Crown estate.

Second, they are being forced off their land by massive hikes in their rents.

“Under this avaricious government policy, High Country rents are rising by up to 43 times (ie. 4200 percent) the current annual rent. These rent hikes are grossly unfair and contradict the findings of the government’s own panel of advisers.”

The doubly whammy of exclusions and rent hikes is a ‘lose-lose’ for the High Country, and a “win-win” for the government.

“It is hard to disagree with the view that the government is oppressing High Country farmers to force them off their land. This oppression is wrong and must end,” Mr Aubrey said.

ends

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