Choudhary Ashraf: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Choudhary Ashraf: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:638;Page:8317] 
9.  
Dr ASHRAF CHOUDHARY (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister for Land Information 
: What reports has he received on the success of the 2005 changes to the overseas investment legislation in ensuring greater access for New Zealanders and improved conservation values? 
Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister for Land Information) 
: 
 It is a privilege for overseas investors to own sensitive New Zealand land and the Overseas Investment Act passed by the Labour-led Government in 2005 was updated to ensure that as a prerequisite of the sale to overseas people we can acquire foreshore seabed river and lake bed and secure access to them. The sale of Poronui Station near Taupo from one overseas party to another has been approved on terms that show that this legislation is working. 
Dr Ashraf Choudhary 
: What has been achieved in the Poronui Station sale? 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: Privately owned riverbed on the station is now to come into Crown ownership. Access through the property to adjacent conservation land and to the rivers has also been secured so that New Zealanders now have rights to fish tramp and picnic. The terms agreed are becoming typical. Another example was last year’s sale of Carter Holt Harvey forests where significant public access gains were made. 
Metiria Turei 
: Does the Minister agree that there would be greater access for New Zealanders and improved conservation values if the sale of sensitive land to New Zealanders included the same mechanisms for providing protecting or improving walking access over that land as the Overseas Investment Act requires for land sales to overseas investors; and if he does not agree why not? 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: The walking access panel recently reported with some recommendations that will make some very good advances in terms of walking access over New Zealand land particularly by the proper definition of marginal strips and paper roads. I think that is good progress in respect of those lands. 
Hone Harawira 
: Kia ora Madam Speaker. Kia ora tatou te Whare. In respect of the claims of the success of the changes to the overseas investment legislation what response does the Minister have to the statement from Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa that foreign investment will boost house prices even more making them far too expensive for the average New Zealander to buy and the statement from Margaret Mutu chairperson of Te Runanga o Ngati Kahu that by trying to sell the 9-hectare block at Rangiputa for $4 million the Government is planning to wipe its hands of all historical land claims by Ngati Kahu for the cost of a measly 45 acres? 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: Although these matters do not fall directly within my responsibility I do recall and agree with the Deputy Prime Minister’s answer last week or the week before when he indicated that he was not convinced that overseas purchase of residential land was having a significant effect on house prices. 
Hone Harawira 
: Does the Minister support suggestions from a Government MP that Maori should turn their coastal lands into camping grounds or holiday parks for the enjoyment and greater access of all New Zealanders but that other New Zealanders need not do so; and is that the Government’s solution to the problem that New Zealand camping-ground owners are cashing in on the millions to be made by selling their coastal properties to overseas buyers and now ordinary Kiwis have nowhere to go for their holidays? 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: I am aware that the Minister of Conservation is advancing the creation of additional camping grounds on Department of Conservation land. In respect of the likes of this land which until now the public has been excluded from including riverbeds and adjacent conservation land near Poronui Station all New Zealanders have not had rights there but both Maori and non-Maori are gaining rights as a consequence of this new deal on Poronui Station.