9. Dr ASHRAF CHOUDHARY (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister for Land Information
What reports has he received on the success of the 2005 changes to the overseas investment legislation in ensuring greater access for New Zealanders and improved conservation values?
Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister for Land Information) Link to this
It is a privilege for overseas investors to own sensitive New Zealand land, and the Overseas Investment Act, passed by the Labour-led Government in 2005, was updated to ensure that, as a prerequisite of the sale to overseas people, we can acquire foreshore, seabed, river, and lake bed, and secure access to them. The sale of Poronui Station near Taupō, from one overseas party to another, has been approved on terms that show that this legislation is working.
Privately owned riverbed on the station is now to come into Crown ownership. Access through the property to adjacent conservation land and to the rivers has also been secured so that New Zealanders now have rights to fish, tramp, and picnic. The terms agreed are becoming typical. Another example was last year’s sale of Carter Holt Harvey forests, where significant public access gains were made.
Metiria TureiDoes the Minister agree that there would be greater access for New Zealanders and improved conservation values if the sale of sensitive land to New Zealanders included the same mechanisms for providing, protecting, or improving walking access over that land as the Overseas Investment Act requires for land sales to overseas investors; and, if he does not agree, why not?
The walking access panel recently reported with some recommendations that will make some very good advances in terms of walking access over New Zealand land, particularly by the proper definition of marginal strips and paper roads. I think that is good progress in respect of those lands.
Hone HarawiraKia ora, Madam Speaker. Kia ora tātou te Whare. In respect of the claims of the success of the changes to the overseas investment legislation, what response does the Minister have to the statement from Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa that foreign investment will boost house prices even more, making them far too expensive for the average New Zealander to buy, and the statement from Margaret Mutu, chairperson of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Kahu, that by trying to sell the 9-hectare block at Rangiputa for $4 million the Government is planning to wipe its hands of all historical land claims by Ngāti Kahu for the cost of a measly 45 acres?
Although these matters do not fall directly within my responsibility, I do recall and agree with the Deputy Prime Minister’s answer last week, or the week before, when he indicated that he was not convinced that overseas purchase of residential land was having a significant effect on house prices.
Does the Minister support suggestions from a Government MP that Māori should turn their coastal lands into camping grounds or holiday parks for the enjoyment and greater access of all New Zealanders, but that other New Zealanders need not do so; and is that the Government’s solution to the problem that New Zealand camping-ground owners are cashing in on the millions to be made by selling their coastal properties to overseas buyers, and now ordinary Kiwis have nowhere to go for their holidays?
I am aware that the Minister of Conservation is advancing the creation of additional camping grounds on Department of Conservation land. In respect of the likes of this land, which until now the public has been excluded from, including riverbeds and adjacent conservation land near Poronui Station, all New Zealanders have not had rights there, but both Māori and non-Māori are gaining rights as a consequence of this new deal on Poronui Station.