David Carter National Party Agriculture Spokesman
22 December 2004
Con job on land access doesn't wash
"Labour's trying to pull the wool over farmers' eyes with its latest con job on land access," says National Party
Agriculture spokesman David Carter.
"This is the classic Labour delaying tactic. Take one political hot potato, put on simmer with 'so-called public
consultation', then serve it up as planned after the election when the heat has died out of the issue.
"Under Labour, consultation has become a meaningless buzz-word. For examples of the Government's double-speak on this
you need look no further than the way the foreshore and seabed bill was railroaded through Parliament.
"So cynical is the Government's handling of this sensitive issue that the Minister has deliberately sat on his policy
since the end of March, only releasing it in the busy period before Christmas.
"Mr Sutton can pretend to be listening all he likes, but the reality is that if Labour is re-elected, this rural
land-grab will be back on the agenda in a big way. The last thing the Government wants is another 'fart tax' protest in
election year," says Mr Carter.
ENDS