Your old mate’s correspondent reckons Patterson and NZ First were quick to put the boot into such overseas takeovers when they were in opposition, e.g. their failed campaign to prevent Shanghai Maling taking a 50% stake in Silver Fern Farms (which has turned out to be a roaring success). However, the informant told your old mate he hadn’t heard a peep from Patterson and Co about the sale of Icebreaker (an important outlet for NZ Merino wool) to the Yanks. He reckons this shows these NZ First clowns may be roaring lions in opposition, but lapdogs and poodles in government.