6 Apr 2016

Labour to ask for investigation into overseas forestry purchase

8:53 pm on 6 April 2016

The Labour Party will ask the Auditor-General to investigate a Malaysian company's historical purchase of a Gisborne forestry block.

Hikurangi Forest Farms purchased more than 33,000 hectares of land in 1996, and also bought two adjoining blocks in 2006 and 2007.

The Overseas Investment Office approved the purchases on promises the company would build a state-of-the-art timber processing facility.

Labour's forestry spokesperson, Stuart Nash, says not a sod of earth has been turned to build a processing plant.

He says the company should be held to account.