Cameron Houston and Royce Millar
June 19, 2011Edited by : S W T Read :June 19 : 2011
WE DON'T EVEN SCRUTINISE THE DEALS AT ALL!!
Yes that's right we don't check these sales at all, we just allow farmers to sell to the highest bidder with no oversight.
Successive governments off all persuasions have allowed the sales without any examination of the ramifications it may have on the agricultural industry or whether it is in the National interest.
Its about time we had a revue system of all sales to multinational and overseas companies, or we will see all our agricultural land belonging to strangers.
Unlike other countries including New Zealand, Australian governments do not scrutinise or monitor overseas
acquisitions and ownership of agricultural land.
As government-backed and private companies from the Middle East, China and the US continue to buy into Australian agriculture, politicians are grappling with how to respond without stymieing foreign investment or damaging trade relations.
Senator Xenophon, with the backing of the Greens, also wants a national interest test to apply to agricultural land purchases. The Senate committee examining Senator Xenophon's proposal has deferred a decision.
We know so little about foreign ownership that until research agencies, including the Australian Bureau of Statistics, have compiled a basic snapshot of foreign ownership the Senate committee cannot make a decision.
This situation has been allowed to develop by the ineptitude of government and its about time it was fixed before its to late.
SALES OFFICES IN ALL MAJOR TOWNS
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