September 05, 2012
Maori trusts challenge flawed Crafar ruling
The chair of two King Country land trusts says the judgment on the sale of the Crafar Farms was so flawed it must be appealed.
The Court of Appeal has ruled the Overseas Investment Office and the Minister of Lands acted within the law in approving the sale of the 16 farms to Chinese Company Shanghai Pengxin for more than $200 million.
Hardie Peni says Tiroa A and Te Hape B are going it alone in their application for an appeal, with the rest of the Sir Michael Fay-led consortium that wanted to buy the farms dropping out.
“We believe our claim when we first went to court was not heard and for that very reason we have revisited the court findings and on that basis we will be having another go at the judge,” he says.
Mr Peni says the case is a separate matter to the trusts’ ongoing attempts to get Shanghai Pengxin to sell them the two farms adjoining their blocks.