Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds is calling on James Shaw to apologise and take back his divisive comments about Southern farmers.

“The Associate Environment Minister, in a recent radio interview about the establishment of Significant Natural Areas, said that there was ‘a group of Pakeha farmers from down south who have always pushed back against the idea that they should observe any kind of regulation about what they can do to protect the environmental conditions on their land . . .’

“Mr Shaw’s remarks are divisive and downright inaccurate. He should apologise.

“Southern farmers have undertaken some amazing work around conservation - fencing off waterways, undertaking native planting and establishing covenants and agreements with the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust, to protect areas of significance in this region.

“Not to mention Southland’s 23 farmer-driven Community Catchment Groups, which form a network covering 85 per cent of the Southland region, getting environmental projects off the ground and inspiring community action and education, to protect our land, water and air.

“These Southlanders - Pakeha and Māori - have devoted hundreds of hours voluntarily to protect our precious environment and to have a Minister of the Crown insult them and their work in this way will cause irreparable damage.

“The Government appears to be trying to incite racial disharmony and Mr Shaw’s comments do nothing to advance either good relations, or positive environmental change in the South.”