Behind the scenes anger and frustration is building over what’s been happening for months.
It also prompts a question: why have out-pourings of indignation over Shanghai Pengxin’s bid not been heard every time a piece of godzone has been sold to so-called foreigners. Answer: it seems there are foreigners… and ‘foreigners’.
Germans, Israelis, Americans and Swiss, to name a few, are ‘one of us’ – but not the Chinese. The inconsistency of the argument is mind-boggling; we could be excused for labeling this racism and certainly prejudice.
To be fair to Ngati Rereahu, they claim this is all about land that was originally theirs and which they have been trying to get their hands on for years and the Crafar deal has given them a unique opportunity to press their case.
But why didn’t they mount a legal challenge years ago when Allan Crafar took it over? They say they have no problem with the Chinese, just the law, and who really knows what the law is anyway. Some say we have legal system, not a justice system.
The Crafar saga is an ugly look for New Zealand. It is straining relations with China, a country we need as a market for primary commodities given the economic crisis in Europe.
China also offers opportunities for New Zealand to sell its farming expertise. Yet a deal in which Landcorp would work with Shanghai Pengxin to develop sheep and dairy farms in China is on hold as result of these delays. Will this affect Fonterra’s operation in China?
Dollars are being foregone daily as this deal hangs in limbo but few people seem to care. Perhaps more national grief and hysteria would arise if a possum got stuck up a lamppost for a day.
It’s easy to sheet the blame home to Ngati Rereahu and others, but if the law had been drafted better in the first place these shenanigans may not be taking place. Is NZ Inc is losing out? Who cares? as long as the lawyers are getting their slice of the action. – Peter Burke
