New Zealanders Happier With Foreign Investment

New Zealanders Happier With Foreign Investment When They See the Benefits to the Economy

A poll by the Curia research company shows New Zealanders seem more interested in overseas investment in farmland when the benefits in increased employment and tax take are shown to exist.

If a foreign buyer boosts New Zealand jobs and the economy then support for farm sales to overseas purchasers goes up. 65% of those polled thought farms should only be sold to New Zealand residents but that opposition significantly reduces if the farms are to be worked only by New Zealanders and the foreign buyer pays tax in this country.

The Curia poll found 55% percent of the sample said the buyer’s country of origin did not matter if they employ only New Zealand workers and 54% did not mind the nationality of the buyers if they paid tax here in New Zealand.

Interestingly, the poll also demonstrated while only 18% of people would be “extremely uncomfortable” with farmland being sold to Australians and just 23% were opposed to selling to British interests, opposition jumped to 41% if the buyers were Chinese.

The poll also shows younger New Zealanders are more receptive to constructive foreign investment in farmland, as are rural dwellers. It appears older people living in urban areas are much more opposed to the idea than farmers and country folk who may benefit most from such investment.

Despite the efforts of lobby groups opposed to foreign investment, this Curia poll demonstrates that a majority of New Zealanders will support such sales once they realise the country can significantly benefit from such deals.

View the report here.

ENDS

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