fbpx
Print this page
Wednesday, 06 February 2019 07:55

Ducking and diving for cover?

Written by  David Anderson
Shane Jones has ministerial responsibility for Landcorp. Shane Jones has ministerial responsibility for Landcorp.

Answers to a number of questions about the actions of the state farmer Landcorp may be proving highly embarrassing for both the Government and the state farmer.

Despite claims made by the coalition Government that it would be “the most open, most transparent Government that New Zealand has ever had,” ministers and officials have yet to answer questions asked late last year by Rural News under the Official Information Act (OIA) about operations at Landcorp. 

Read: Landcorp defends tax submission.

Rural News put these questions following revelations last year that Landcorp (now called Pamu Farms) had made a secret submission to the Tax Working Group one month after submissions had closed. Landcorp was promoting – among other things – capital gains and environmental taxes on the agricultural sector. Rural News submitted a number of questions to the Government via the OIA regarding Landcorp and its taxpayer funded operations.

However, despite these questions being lodged on December 6 last year, and the legal requirement for OIA requests to be answered within 20 working days of lodgement, no answers have been received.

The original OIA request was sent on December 6, 2018 to the two ministers responsible for Landcorp -- Winston Peters and Shane Jones. 

Peters’ office responded saying: “As your request relates to Landcorp/Pamu, for which Minister Shane Jones has associate ministerial responsibility, your request to the Office of Rt. Hon. Winston Peters is to be transferred to the Office of Hon. Jones”.

Jones’ office acknowledged receipt of the OIA request on December 6, but then kept radio silence until Jan 16, when Rural News requested an update. 

Jones’ private secretary William Blacker replied that a response would be made by January 25 “…because the following days do not count when determining the deadline -- Christmas Day (12/25/2018), Boxing Day (12/26/2018), summer holiday (December 27 to January 15), new years day (1/1/2019) and January 2 (1/2/2019)”.

However, on January 25, Blacker – responding for Jones – conceded to Rural News they would not be able to meet the Jan 25 deadline.

“Unfortunately, it will not be possible to meet that time limit and we are therefore writing to notify you of an extension of the time to make our decision to 31/01/2019. 

This extension is necessary because consultations necessary to make a decision on your request are such that a proper response cannot reasonably be made within the original time limit.”

Yet, later that day Blacker emailed to say: “Your request has been transferred to Landcorp Farming Ltd, as it is more closely connected with the functions of this agency. You will hear further from Landcorp Farming Ltd concerning your request.”

However, in a classic case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing, Landcorp had already contacted Rural News on January 16 to say: “We have received your OIA request today from the Office of Hon Shane Jones. We will respond to your request as soon as possible and no later than February 14, 2019 (as per the OIA 20 working day timeframe).”

Rural News now waits to see if the supposed ‘openness and transparency’ promised by the Government is causing red faces in the offices of the ministers and the state farmer as the February 14 deadline looms.

More like this

Go woke!

OPINION: The Hound reckons the powers at Landcorp (or as they/them like to call themselves, Pāmu) are coming under the microscope with the new government in place.

Editorial: Pamu's challenge

OPINION: The Government is sending a clear signal to state-owned farming giant, Pamu (Landcorp) that things must change.

Challenging half-year for Pāmu

Pāmu Farms of New Zealand (Landcorp Farming Limited) has produced a Net Operating Profit (NOP) of $3 million for the half-year to 31 December 2023.

Featured

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

Editorial: Passage to India

OPINION: Even before the National-led coalition came into power, India was very much at the fore of its trade agenda.

National

Knowing bugs means fewer drugs

A mastitis management company claims to deliver the fastest and most accurate mastitis testing available at scale for New Zealand…

Machinery & Products

100 years of Farmall Tractors

Returning after an enforced break, the Wheat and Wheels Rally will take place on the Lauriston -Barhill Road, North-East of…

JD unveils its latest beast

John Deere has unveiled its most powerful tractor ever, with the launch of the all new 9RX Series Tractor line-up…

Biggest Quadtrac coming to NZ!

In the biggest announcement that Case IH Australia/New Zealand has made around its tractor range, its biggest tractor is about…

A different shade of blue for Norwood

Norwood and ARGO Tractors, the Italian manufacturer of Landini and McCormick tractors, have announced an agreement that gives Norwood exclusive…

Kubota tests diesel engines

Kubota last month used the UK LAMMA Show to test the water with its new 200hp, four-cylinder 09-series diesel engines.