Govt to break election promise of open access to back country land

The Press is reporting that the Labour Government is set to break its promise to open up back country farm land to public access and recreation. The newspaper is call this a 'a major Government concession to farmers'. The Government had planned to force open large tracts of the countryside to public access through legislation - dubbed the 'Kiwi Queen's Chain'. But it appointed a panel to investigate the issue, and it looks like the Government will accept its recommendation to reaffirm the private land rights of farmers. The National Party is calling this 'a massive backdown', and Recreation Access New Zealand says its 'a complete and utter copout' by Labour and amounts to breaking their election promise. Of course Federated Farmers are saying that farmers are delighted that the $200,000 panel is recommending that Labour basically adopt the National Party's position.