‘Shoddy job’ over Matt Lauer row, says Peters
The Government is now fingerpointing at officials and former ministers for the stoush over hiking access to TV star Matt Lauer’s high country station.
The Walking Access Commission and the Department of Conservation (DOC) are deadlocked with the former American anchorman over public access to the Ha¯ wea conservation park through Lauer’s Hunter Valley Station.
Land Information Minister Eugenie Sage is blaming former National Party ministers Mark Mitchell and Steven Joyce for approving the sale of $13 million pastoral lease to Lauer without unrestricted access.
Acting Prime Minister Winston Peters has also waded in, claiming the Overseas Investment Office (OIO), which drew up the conditions of the sale, did a ‘‘shoddy’’ job.
Outdoor enthusiasts want to traverse the 40km unsealed Hunter Valley Station road that runs around one side of Lake Ha¯ wea into the Hunter Valley. The Crown still owns the land and as a foreigner Lauer had to get OIO approval to buy the lease for the 6500-hectare property. That was granted in March 2017.
OIO officials set four conditions to improve access – but rejected calls from Federated Mountain Clubs and the Walking Access Commission for unfettered access to the Hunter Valley Station road.
‘‘They [the OIO] failed to provide adequate access for New Zealanders ... I don’t know what ministerial involvement there was but this was a decision by ministers and they didn’t provide for access,’’ said Sage.
She said the OIO ‘‘recommended that there were other benefits from [Lauer’s] applications’’.
Lauer has complied with the conditions. And he isn’t preventing hikers and hunters from using the route but his tenants do restrict and monitor access through the station gates.
In March, the Walking Access Commission applied for an easement (or right of way) to the road. But if the commissioner for Crown lands granted that, Lauer is entitled to substantial compensation, and his lawyer Graeme Todd says that could run to millions of dollars. He would also take the Government to court.
Sage confirmed Lauer would be entitled to a payout ‘‘but not the millions that is not being talked about’’.
Mark Mitchell said officials had carried out ‘‘a lot of work’’ to ensure improved public access. Federated Mountain Clubs and the Walking Access Commission were ‘‘part of that process’’.
‘‘At that time, everyone was really happy with what was signed off on on public access ... the public had far more access than they had before which was a big part of the success of the application. But it appears now they are going back and revisiting the piece that they want access to.’’
Mitchell said he ‘‘totally’’ stood by the OIO decision.
Earlier this year, the OIO ruled Lauer could keep the merino sheep and cattle station, after he was fired by NBC over sexual misconduct allegations. Under the terms of the lease, he must ‘‘continue to be of good character.’’
Hunter Valley Station sits astride 30km of Lakes Ha¯ wea and Wanaka shore front. It stretches along 13km of the Hunter River, which is full wild brown trout, rainbow trout and salmon. The disputed Hunter Valley Station road runs past the station’s five-bedroom homestead.