NZ First leader and Northland member of parliament Winston Peters says he is concerned about sales of iconic Kiwi companies and land holdings to foreign owners
Peters says the sale of Cook Strait ferry service Bluebridge and trucking company Freight Lines to Australian investors is another example of foreign owners gaining increased control of Kiwi businesses.
“The late Jim Barker showed great ingenuity establishing his company Strait Shipping, and it is sad to see control now going over the ditch,” says Peters.
“This is just one of several large sales just approved by the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) which will concern many New Zealanders,” he says.
“Another is the purchase of Hunter Valley Station beside Lake Hawea in Central Otago to New York couple Matt and Annette Lauer,” says Peters.
“This will disappoint many Kiwis who wanted better access to the station to public conservation land at the head of Lake Hawea and beyond,” he says.
“Also on the list of latest approvals by the OIO is the sale of New Zealand’s largest general aviation company Airwork for more than $203 million to Chinese company Zhejiang Rifa Holding Group Co. Ltd,” says Peters.
“Airwork has a long history in New Zealand having started in Wellington in 1936 assembling Tiger Moth biplanes,” he says.
“These sales are deeply disturbing for New Zealand as we are becoming puppets controlled by foreign owners,” says Peters.
