How can the fact that all New Zealanders, not just farmers, have such a great attachment to land seem to come as a surprise to Prime Minister John Key?

The disquiet about growing foreign ownership of New Zealand land has been around for some time but he seems to have only just heard of it.

Is it a surprise, too, that these buyers don't want the least glamorous spots we have to offer? Of course, they want the most pristine, the best views, and the best productive agricultural land.

If John Key put one of his many hats on, as the owner of a holiday apartment on Maui, Hawaii's most tourist-attracting and of course most beautiful island, he might have a clearer view of the situation.

Foreign ownership pushes a lot of buttons with a lot of Kiwis. They see a land-hungry world, concerned about future food supply arriving on New Zealand's shores in larger and larger numbers.

The “For Sale” signs don't worry them so much - it's the "Make An Offer and You Might Be Surprised" sign hung underneath.

-       Glenys Christian, Host, “Straight Talk”