Photo: Getty ImagesThe government is scrapping the policy of selling leasehold high country Crown land to farmers, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has confirmed. Tenure review involves the carving up of high country land previously leased by farmers who are then able to buy parts of it outright and run it as freehold land, in return for other sections being set aside for conservation. Critics say much of the land has been sold on for property developments or farmed intensively. Federated Farmers High Country spokesperson Simon Williamson said he was ambivalent about the move and said there had been downsides to turning over the land to conservation. A spokesperson for the Land Information Minister Eugene Sage earlier said only that she had asked officials to review high country pastoral leases and the tenure review process.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 14, 2019 01:07 UTC