New Zealand Examines Matt Lauer's Ranch Purchase After His Firing

[demmiblue]

Source: NYT

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — The ripples from the firing of Matt Lauer as the co-host of the “Today” morning news show have hit the world of New Zealand property, where officials are already scrutinizing the role of foreign buyers in an increasingly expensive market.

A New Zealand government agency said on Thursday that it was in discussions with Mr. Lauer’s representative over his purchase of a 16,000-acre farm there. Foreigners must pass a good-character test to be allowed to buy New Zealand land, and while Mr. Lauer’s purchase was approved earlier this year, the country’s Overseas Investment Office is revisiting his case in light of his firing.

Officials from that agency “are seeking further information,” said Lisa Barrett, a spokeswoman for the agency. The agency can require buyers to dispose of the property if it believes the rules have been violated.

NBC on Wednesday said it fired Mr. Lauer from “Today” following an allegation of sexual harassment, making him the latest major media figure to fall from grace amid a broad examination in the United States of inappropriate sexual behavior in the worlds of media and entertainment. Mr. Lauer, a well-known face on morning television in the United States, had been a co-host at “Today” for two decades.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/30/business/matt-lauer-new-zealand.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur

[sadiegirl]

1. Going to take the money off-shore, eh?

Something else to ponder.

[elmac]

2. New Zealand has become the new playground for the uber rich

mainly for "panic room" estates, someplace to go when the shit hits the fan and the shit will hit the fan someday.

[Raster]

3. Oh yeah, there are uber-secret, members only farcebook pages dedicated...

...to "WTSHTF" when the shit hits the fan, where members can discuss the best places and ways to safeguard their security and grotesque fortunes. I guarantee there are standing "bug out" emergency plans for some of the wealthiest members of our country that involve their G5s, New Zealand and numbered accounts.

Golly gee, haven't heard of Peter Thiel lately, have we?

[TexasBushwhacker]

4. I wonder how exactly they plan on getting there WTSHTF n/t

[mr_lebowski]

5. Their huge yachts, or their own planes?

Somewhat depends on the type of shit we're talking about here, and how much warning there is something is about to go down ...

Likely that unless the world just spontaneously runs out of oil or otherwise lost the ability to produce petrol, 'the shit hitting the fan' is unlikely to be crippling to the ability of the uber-rich to get their asses to wherever they want ...

Of course, something like a massive nuclear strike on US soil could do it as well.

Mostly I think they're worried about things like pandemics or a massive stock market collapse leading to bank failures ... But I'm sure these rich prepper types would have plenty of bug-out $$$ stashed in off-shore accounts, and probably gold and cash-stuffed vaults at their panic-room palaces.