So Winston is sorting out the kauri fiasco; Marie Kaire will be pleased. But what is he sorting out? Firstly while there may have been some instances of wetlands being affected in a devious manner, the majority of kauri extraction by far has been privately-owned unproductive land which, after logging, becomes, in most instances, highly productive land to the benefit of us all.
If the logs are exported there is internal employment and export revenue coming in. New Zealand needs all the employment and export revenue it can get and the land owners' expenses for clearing the land are offset by a welcome source of revenue.
The-sit-on-their-backside brigade are squealing and demanding a cut of the product so they can stay on their backsides. Winston will squeal, that's what he does so well, the authorities will jump on the bandwagon demand more revenue through tax reforms and resource rip-offs.
There was some good work on this product done by the Stewarts in Awanui which appears to have ground to a halt and gone into remission. Obviously none of those making noise have any ability or inclination to go into business and produce any saleable items. So the product goes to the highest bidder, that's life.
Throw enough spokes into the works and the industry will come to a standstill and the alternative will be to stockpile and burn stumps and logs which is how it used to be done, and no one wins.
