Biosecurity breaches a real threat to NZ

Foreign investment and biosecurity were the big talking points when four politicians flew their party’s colours at the Manawatu/ Rangitikei Federated Farmers. annual meeting

About 100 people heard four politicians talk just before the business end of the organisation’s annual meeting.

Greens MP Eugenie Sage said the Government had given up on the recent biosecurity breach of myrtle rust and was now talking about management of the pest and not eradication.

‘‘The Government allows the import of things such as compost and duck meat. Some imports put New Zealand at risk. Biosecurity needs to be much tighter and MPI [Ministry for Primary Industries] gives up.’’

Like the other three MPS, she wanted to see biosecurity have a higher profile and be taken out of the responsibilities of MPI and made as a stand alone unit.

NZ First Leader Winston Peters said there had been 149 incursions in New Zealand the past few years.

‘‘And we’re told myrtle rust was wind borne, and arrived smack in a nursery in the middle of Kerikeri. Don’t underestimate New Zealanders thinking powers.’’

He said the country needed stronger border security.

Labour’s primary industries spokesman and West Coast Tasman MP, Damien O’connor said Labour had doubled biosecurity when it was Government, but he said the National Government had cut it.

‘‘National efforts in biosecurity have been pathetic. The economy is growing and the investment in biosecurity has stayed the same.’’

But National’s MP for Taranaki King Country, Barbara Kuriger said biosecurity levels were at a record investment.

The other area hotly debated was foreign investment in agriculture.

Kuriger said New Zealand needed foreign investment, and had strengthened the Overseas Investment Office to cope.

But O’connor said unless someone from abroad was adding something substantive to New Zealand, they should not be allowed into the country.

‘‘It is a privilege to invest in New Zealand.’’

Peters said New Zealand had sold its heritage.

‘‘You might not have liked Muldoon or Holyoake but they would never have tolerated selling our red meat industry. SFF [Silver Fern Farms] flogged off half of its company to the Chinese and since them we have lost 150 jobs, and a further 350 will be lost [on] Wednesday at the Fairton plant [in Ashburton].

At the annual meeting a new guard was presented for the Federated Farmers Manawatu/ Rangitikei province.

Manawatu/rangitikei president James Stewart stood down and the position was filled by Richard Morrison, who farms mear Marton. He was the meat and fibre chairman.

Dairy chairman Mat Hocken was concerned as a Nuffield Scholar he could not do the job and stood down. The position has been taken over by Pahiatua farmer Murray Holdaway.