Controversial Landcorp sales deferred for a year

Landcorp has deferred the sale of two valuable blocks of land for a year while the Government conducts a review of policies around the sale of sensitive crown land.

This month Landcorp put the sale of the $10 million Whenuakite Station on the Coromandel Peninsula on hold while the Government conducted a review of the agency's sale policy.

It also parked the sale of Rangiputa Station in Northland.

The Government has since widened its review to encompass the sale of all sensitive crown-owned land.

State Owned Enterprises Minister Trevor Mallard today said Landcorp's board had informed him it had deferred the sale of the two properties for a year to allow the Government to carry out its review.

"The deferral follows discussions with Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia and members of the Labour Maori caucus who were keen to see this happen."

Some of Labour's Maori MPs were angry at not being informed of the Government's plans for the initial review which followed Hauraki Maori occupying the Whenuakite site and Maori Party MPs calling for more occupations.

Mr Mallard has said the review was spurred by the desire to see crown agencies take note of any piece of land's non-commercial values, such as heritage and recreational values, before it was put up for sale.

- NZPA