"Chinese owner fights access to NZ farm, says would harm NZ image"

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kingdragonfly

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#237893 22-Jun-2018 14:57

Am I missing something? Something lost in translation?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/104696825/chinese-owner-tramping-access-harms-nzs-image

"Chinese owner fights access to NZ farm, says would harm NZ image"
By Andrea Vance

"Officials and the Chinese owner of a Wairarapa sheep station are deadlocked over public access to a forest hut and tramping route.

The extraordinary dispute will now go to independent mediation - the first time this has ever happened. If the row can't be resolved the Overseas Investment Office has the powers to order the property be sold.

Hong-Kong based Eric Chun Yu Wong bought the sprawling $3.3 million Kawakawa Station, at Cape Palliser, in 2015. The Overseas Investment Office approved the sale - which was signed off by National government ministers - but imposed conditions around tramping access.

Those conditions said the new owner must put in place access to the Aorangi Forest, as recommended by the Walking Access Commission. The forest park is home to the Putangirua Pinnacles, the eerie earth pillars featured in scenes in the film Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.

But Wong has rejected all the recommendations made by the commission, a Crown entity, in the last three years. Curiously, he says granting access rights would impact on New Zealand's reputation overseas.

..."

Linux

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#2042474 22-Jun-2018 15:04

Take the land back and kick the owner out for not sticking to the agreement

John

Taubin

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#2042475 22-Jun-2018 15:05

If it's going to harm NZ's image overseas, by protecting NZ and it's citizens, then so be it. He needs to sell the farm and move on if he truly feels that way.

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dt

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#2042476 22-Jun-2018 15:09

Very confusing indeed.. Hong kongese usually have a pretty good understanding of English... my assumption is he's just trying to stall the inevitable

eph

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#2042477 22-Jun-2018 15:13

Isn't it obvious? He's bought it with conditions but now he doesn't want to comply to them.

His excuse is that bad guys from NZ are forcing him to put walking tracks through his property. Breaking his (supposed) rights could be damaging our reputation overseas.

So overseas investors beware! You could be forced to do stuff you've agreed to do in the first place.

kingdragonfly

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#2042514 22-Jun-2018 16:16

I think Eric Chun Yu Wong meant to say it would hurt New Zealand's reputation among fellow overseas investors that it's safe to promise anything to Kiwis get some property, and renege afterwards, because Kiwis lack testicular fortitude.

Kiwifruta

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#2042547 22-Jun-2018 17:45

I know it's slightly off topic, but the bit I don't get is Hong Kong based (assuming he isn't an NZ citizen), but owns property in New Zealand. Quite happy for people to immigrate to NZ, stay here, get ciitzenship (or PR) and buy property and continue to live here, but when it's just an investment/holiday home to be run from overseas, it's another matter.

Taubin

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#2042548 22-Jun-2018 17:51

One of the other things that seems to be overlooked, is the fact that he is charging for access via a route he decided is available to people, which doesn't go to the DOC hut that's there (and has been there since before he purchased the land). It does however, go to a hut that he had built, and charges people for the use of.

Kawakawa station markets its own paid three-day walk, with accommodation in their own "historic" logging hut, which costs between $280 and $450.

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