Foreign Charter Vessels Must Go

The Kiwi Party
Press Release
April 4, 2011

Kiwi Party leader Larry Baldock congratulates Sunday Star Times reporter Michael Field for putting the spotlight on the appalling practices carried out by charter vessels in the NZ fishing industry.

“That sort of behaviour is absolutely disgraceful and there is no place for it in any New Zealand industry, or through those who contract into our industries”, Mr Baldock said.

"In 2005 when I was in parliament I was able to pressure the Labour Government to investigate what was happening on charter vessels. Despite the Government having clear evidence of this abuse and breaches of immigration and labour laws, not to mention health and safety issues, nothing has changed in the past six years.

“If foreign charter vessels are able to undercut New Zealand vessels by engaging in the awful practices outlined by the Sunday Star Times article yesterday, then New Zealand vessels will become increasingly unviable and New Zealand workers will be shut out of the industry completely.

"I call on Minister Phil Heatley to give urgent attention to addressing these matters by giving our fisheries back to New Zealanders", the Kiwi Party leader concluded.

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