Petition against sale of stations gains more signatures

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Signatures on the petition opposing the Overseas Investment Office application for the sales of Huiarua and Matanui Stations on the East Coast are approaching 3000.

An overseas company has lodged an application with the OIO for the purchase of the sheep and beef farms inland from Tolaga Bay and Tokomaru Bay, with the intent to put them into pine trees.

As of this morning the number of signatures to the petition in opposition to the move stood at 2890.

It has been organised by the Gisborne-Wairoa province of Federated Farmers.

The petition can be accessed at Larsen Sawmilling at Makaraka or on-line at www.change.org/SaveHuiarua

Feds provincial president Toby Williams said there has been a strong response to it so far, showing the high level of public opposition to the sales.