Government suggestion amounts to 'theft', says group

The Government's suggestion that the community buy back a Landcorp farm amounts to theft, says a group battling to keep Whareroa Farm at Paekakariki in public ownership.

Conservation Minister Chris Carter told the Guardians of Whareroa Farm that he would try to broker a discount purchase price with Landcorp, if the group came up with a joint purchase proposal.

Guardians spokesman John Lancashire said the suggestion that the community buy the farm back from the Government was ludicrous.

"The suggestion that the community raise $4 to $6 million to buy back the land at a development price amounts to theft as it was the community's in the first place."