Content supplied by Federated Farmers
The generosity of foreign investors has created New Zealand’s largest ever private land protection agreement at 53,000 hectares; equivalent to 240 Cornwall Park/One Tree Hill Domains.
“It is exciting that a Queen Elizabeth II covenant now covers the iconic high country over most of Motatapu, Mount Soho, Glencoe and Coronet Peak stations,” says Dr William Rolleston, Federated Farmers President.
“This is the other face of foreign ownership, perhaps best explained by dual Federated Farmers/Forest & Bird life member, Gordon Stephenson, who commented: “this is the first time a whole landscape is being put into a covenant”.
“Soho Properties have gone massively over their Overseas Investment Office requirements, not only with this generous gift, but by investing in pest weed and pest plant control, fencing and the reintroduction of native fauna. It extends to the Walking Access Commission too.
“Almost all of the previously farmed areas will be retired from farming with the exception of the valley floors, where 10,000 stock units will continue to be farmed.
“Federated Farmers, having played a key role in forming the QEII National Trust, congratulates everyone at Soho Properties and the National Trust.
“While this is protection on a grand scale what Soho Properties is doing is super sizing what farmers have been doing since 1977. It is a genuine credit to all farmers whether they protect one hectare or several thousand.
“We must remember farmers do this voluntarily without the stick of regulation. With legally enforceable QEII National Trust covenants now protecting more than 178,000 hectares, that is a total land area greater than Stewart Island.
“That it has come about voluntarily explains why we must not tilt at every single overseas application, or a rumour of an application, like we’re a latter-day Don Quixote.
“We mustn’t lose sight of the fact that New Zealand is the Hollywood and Palo Alto of global farming. Our farm system is the best because we attract the best.
“Federated Farmers would be extremely worried if every applicant is raked over, especially if they’re migrating here to live and farm. We thought skilled migration had broad political agreement. If not, it ought to.
“In early 2010, the Campaign Against Foreign Control Of Aotearoa issued a media release entitled, “Just What Are The Benefits To NZ Of Allowing Shania Twain To Buy High Country Stations?” I think they’ve now got their answer,” Dr Rolleston concluded.
12 Comments
I need a few questions answered.
1. what were the original requirements, re access and land retirement imposed by the Overseas Investment Office on Twains when they purchased this property.
2. How did they fare in the high country tenure review, which to my mind was one of the biggest gifts to farmers from NZ citizens, we gave away land we all owned and farmers made millions and millions of dollars. I know not all farmers gained but farms like this did on a huge scale.
3. Has the property changed hands now that Twain has separated from her husband?
These are leasehold properties
I've been on the LINZ site and it looks like these properties have not been through Tenure review. Only one property Coronet Peak has moved on to stage two.
This is not freehold property it is leasehold property it belongs to the people of NZ.
Why were we not informed?
http://www.linz.govt.nz/crown-property/pastoral-land-tenure-review/stat…
Wow Andrew....
My daughter has worked on these properties. When things went bad in 2009 there was always work on Soho. I appreciate that there is a good side and bad side to overseas sales. However think on this.... if we kept nz land for nzers, and had a lvr on farmland and a restriction on owning multiple titles or a certain acreage, the ability for nz farmers to indebt themselves would be restricted. So something such as the GFC would not have resulted in the crash of work in 2009 perhaps?
That was bad enough now read this, Taxpayer is getting scammed.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8774240/Row-over-40m-to-plough-in…
It really p*sses me off when folk use the argument that its just the chinese we dont want here. That is bullcrap and bulldust. I well remember the hoohah over Shania buying Soho. It was big news and a lot of protest. Her and Mutt had to agree to all sorts of stuff before they were allowed to buy. Stuff they didnt want to agree to either....it was quite a battle.
And no loyalty to the majority of the people of New Zealand.
Certainly not if this version of a claimed SCF cover up is true:
Pip Hall QC began the defence's closing address by saying "fraud is odious, and not to be presumed".
Fellow defence counsel Marc Corlett then focused on the Crown deed of guarantee.
"In December 2011 SFO announced it as the biggest fraud in New Zealand's history of $1.6b," he said.
"After gleefully seizing on that the media has taken every opportunity to focus on the $1.6b.
"What we now know is that these people were never questioned by the SFO about their entrance into the Crown deed of guarantee, they were never given the opportunity to explain.
"That people can be charged with the biggest fraud and not given the chance to explain is an affront to the Kiwi fair go."
The "biggest fraud in New Zealand" was not mentioned in the Crown's closing, Corlett said, as the claim was "baseless and devoid of any merit". Read article
We welcome your comments below. If you are not already registered, please register to comment.
Remember we welcome robust, respectful and insightful debate. We don't welcome abusive or defamatory comments and will de-register those repeatedly making such comments. Our current comment policy is here.