Widow's Plea Likely To Fall On Deaf Ears

Tuesday 14 Sep 2004

Gerry Eckhoff - Press Releases - Rural - Public Access Petition

The heartfelt plea from the widow of murdered farmer Jack Nicholas to Prime Minister Helen Clark, to abandon proposals to legislate access to all named waterways, is likely to fall on deaf ears, ACT New Zealand Rural Affairs Spokesman Gerry Eckhoff predicted today.

"It is highly improbable that the Prime Minister will do anything other than make soothing noises to placate Mrs Nicholas and the thousands of concerned rural people," Mr Eckhoff said.

"Miss Clark is driving this legislation, not Rural Affairs Minister Jim Sutton - who is merely facilitating her agenda. Access to waterways is just the beginning. Once that has been achieved, a more lenient policy towards public access to private land will be enacted.

"Make no mistake: the property rights of all New Zealand landowners are under direct threat from this socialist Labour Government.

"Mrs Nicholas is absolutely right to speak out about the threat to the safety of rural and peri-urban landowners. Her comment, `let it be safe for all people', is sadly a plea likely to be ignored by New Zealand's foremost tramper: Helen Clark," Mr Eckhoff said.

ENDS

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