One of the big names in the recent expansion of the New Zealand fishing industry, Peter Talley, has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Talley's Fisheries, based in Motueka, is a private company owned and operated by brothers Peter and Michael Talley.
Peter Talley has spearheaded the
expansion of the company into one of New Zealand's largest fishing conglomerates.
In the past year, Talley's has also become a major shareholder in the Affco meat company.
It now owns 11.3 per cent of the business.
Talley's also has interests in frozen vegetables and ice-cream manufacture.
Mr Talley has shown no reluctance to engage in controversy, at times calling for the Department of Conservation to be disbanded.
In 1992 he said DoC had been "infiltrated by radicals"' and "rolled by the green movement".
Officials from the department were "commercial terrorists".
He has described protected fur seals as pests, similar to rabbits and possums, and objected to rules designed to protect the seals from drowning in fishing nets.
Mr Talley has also complained that foreign fishermen were being paid Third World wages and taking jobs from New Zealanders.
The National Business Review, which compiles an annual "Rich List", incurred Mr Talley's wrath in 1995, when he described its estimate of family wealth at $100 million as embarrassing and poor journalism.
A total of $100 million, if correct, would have made the Talleys New Zealand's third-richest family.
The Talleys strongly objected to being on the Rich List.
They twice complained about their inclusion to Privacy Commissioner and then to the Complaints Review Tribunal after their complaint was dismissed.
The National Business Review, said the Talley family lawyer threatened "major ramifications" should the newspaper get the Talley entry wrong.
It later downgraded its wealth estimation for the Talleys to $20 million.
When called by the Business Herald with a request for an interview about the New Year's honour, Peter Talley's secretary said, "I don't think he'll want to talk to you about that."
Mr Talley, who has previously refused to talk to environment or conservation reporters, did not return calls from the Business Herald.
