An Invercargill city councillor is still not convinced by explanations given about plans for a new oat milk factory, and believes regional development agency Great South should have fought more to keep the enterprise in Southland.
Great South chairman Ian Collier fronted up to the Invercargill City Council last week after Cr Ian Pottinger filed a notice of motion asking it to explain why an oat milk factory the agency had worked for a decade to develop was now destined to be built in Canterbury.
During the session, Cr Pottinger asked him if he believed Great South was true to its constitution, which stated it needed to conduct business in the best interest of Southland.
Mr Collier replied he "absolutely" believed it did.
Cr Pottinger said he was still unhappy with the explanations given.
"No, I’m not convinced — not about the Great South being true to its constitution.
"I believe they should have put up a fight ... I can’t believe they just so easily went on board with this other plan.
"I believe they have breached their constitution and are not acting in the best interests of [Southland]."
Cr Pottinger said it did not make any sense that they expected Southland growers would truck their oats to Canterbury.
"Especially because they said this is such a green world-leading factory — it doesn’t make any sense."
Cr Pottinger believed it was too late to influence or change the location of the factory to return it to the region.
He said he was not happy with the performance of Great South in the matter.
"They gave answers yesterday [Tuesday] and that’s fine, but they have to stand by their answers and as a shareholder in Great South, you know, the city council, I’m not happy with those."
"It is not over, it is not over yet."
