OIO did 'outstanding job' on Lauer property deal, says former minister Mark Mitchell

The Overseas Investment Office got a good deal for New Zealand, the previous government says. Photo / Christine Cornege

The Overseas Investment Office did an "outstanding job" in the deal with former US broadcaster Matt Lauer to buy the farm now at the centre of a dispute over access, former land information minister Mark Mitchell says.

Current Land Information Minister Eugenie Sage yesterday blamed the previous government, and singled out Mitchell and his former ministerial colleague Steven Joyce, for the current stoush over public access through the Hunter Valley Station in Upper Clutha.

"I completely disagree with that. The OIO did an outstanding job. There were clear identifiable benefits that weren't pre-existing and it appears like they're coming back for a second bite of the cherry. They can do that, but don't point the finger at what was actually a very good deal for New Zealand," Mitchell told Newstalk ZB today.

The Walking Access Commission and the Department of Conservation are seeking an easement through the 6500ha station to allow vehicle access to a road that connects to conservation land.

The lease for the station, bordering Lake Hawea, is owned by Lauer's company Orange Lakes Ltd. The Crown owns the land.

Lauer is entitled to compensation if the access is granted.

Access would allow vehicle access to Hawea Conservation Park at the northeastern end of Lake Hawea.

Sage told reporters the previous government did not provide adequate walking access through the property at the time the sale was signed off on the recommendation of the Overseas Investment Office.

"I don't know what ministerial involvement there was but it was a decision made by ministers … and they didn't provide adequately for access. The Walking Access Commission asked for vehicle access. It's a long way along the edge of the lake," she said.

The OIO recommended that there were other benefits from the application and recommended that it be approved.

Sage said an easement for public access to pastoral land would result in compensation, "but not the millions that is now being talked about".

Acting Prime Minister Winston Peters has also laid the issue at the feet of the previous government.

"What on Earth was the National Party doing in April last year allowing that sort of sale in the way they did," he said.

"The reality is they were selling it off to anyone offshore who had enough money to buy it ... in a way that they never should have been and which we will not allow now," he said.

"We do not envisage sales like this going on in the future, that's why the new Government has changed the policy completely. I do not envisage selling out this country like the last government did."

Lauer told Radio NZ yesterday that the Walking Access Commission and Department of Conservation were seeking the easement now because of his dismissal from NBC's Today Show in November over alleged sexual misconduct.

"I believe the groups that are behind this are in some ways unfortunately taking advantage of some difficult times I've been through over the past six months and I think they see me as an easy mark," he said.

"And what they're going to try to do is put this through, which would set a precedent because this has not been done ever before with a pastoral leaseholder or property owner without that person's consent."

Walking Access Commission chief executive Eric Pyle denied that.

He said the commission had been talking to Lauer's representatives "off and on" ever since the Overseas Investment Office gave him consent to buy the property last year with a condition that he acted "reasonably".

"The condition is about acting reasonably. What we are trying to do is define what that is," Pyle said.

Lauer's lawyer Graeme Todd told the Otago Daily Times there had been no issues over access and there was no need for such an easement.

Public access through the station was one of the stipulations of the OIO's approval of the sale, he said.

"The public have exercised such access on numerous occasions since we have purchased," Todd said.

"There have just been a few occasions where the access wasn't able to be granted and nobody has raised any concerns that such denial was unreasonable."