MAF slammed in stakeholder report

Jim Anderton needs to take some responsibility for a damning stakeholder feedback report on his Ministry, says National Party Agriculture spokesman David Carter.

Mr Carter says the report, obtained under the Official Information Act, reflects the feedback of major industry players such as Fonterra, Ports of Auckland, HortResearch and Auckland International Airport.

"MAF is seen as being 'detached from the sector it represents'. Stakeholders also say MAF is 'failing to show significant leadership and advocacy' for New Zealand's primary producers.

"The Ministry is panned for being 'reluctant to fully engage and utilise the expertise and networks of external stakeholders' while also being criticised for 'passive and reactive relationship management'.

"Perhaps most damning of all, though, is sustained criticism that MAF is 'risk averse and bureaucratic' and, accordingly, 'slow at decision-making'.

'For an organisation that is largely responsible for the direction and prosperity of a key sector, this is a very worrying report card, to say the least.

"The invaluable feedback has been completely buried by MAF and Jim Anderton, who seems happy to turn a blind eye to it.

"The agriculture sector deserves better than this. It deserves to know exactly what Jim Anderton and MAF are doing to address these very real concerns.

"So far we've heard nothing, and with Jim Anderton's record of all talk and no action, I'm not exactly holding my breath."