Fishery move disappoints

When Todd Muller was elected as leader of the National Party it seemed as though a new era of reason and enlightenment was about to dawn on that party.

How disappointing that those hopes have been so brief and the promised dawn has sunk so quickly to murky night. Mr Muller’s attempt to reverse the wisdom of a marine reserve around Motiti Island is reprehensible, environmentally wrong and morally suspect.

I worked at the NZ Fishing Industry Board for 20 years up to 1988. All that time it was increasingly obvious that the pressure on our fish stocks was serious and had to be dealt with. The Individual Quota system was one measure that was introduced and has been successful to a degree. But the establishment of marine reserves is the only way for the future sustainability of our precious fish resources. They have been difficult to establish due to the selfish attitude of a vocal minority of amateur and fishermen and commercial fishing interests. Almost all Pakeha.

How fortunate to have a group of Maori owners of an island to want to take a selfless approach and gift a marine reserve around their island to protect marine resources for future generations.

This wise generosity has been up-held by the Court of Appeal.

How shameful that Todd Muller wants to challenge this and try to have the move stopped.

It is also deeply cynical – it is again driven once again by the race card, a card that the National Party plays time and again.

Nikki Kaye should perhaps apply her ridiculous claim about moral obligation to her leader’s actions. Muller has a moral obligation to act with integrity. He is not doing so by this action.

Russell O Armitage, Hamilton