MIRABELLA APPOINTED TO HIGH LEVEL TASKFORCE ON FOREIGN OWNERSHIP OF FARM LAND
01-July-2011
Sophie Mirabella MP, Federal Member for Indi has been appointed to a high level working group that will investigate ways to strengthen the rules governing the sale of Australian agricultural land and agribusiness to foreign entities.
Foreign acquisition of farming land has been the source of increasing community concern as local residents fear Australia’s sovereignty is being taken by stealth.
The high level taskforce will include Leader of the Nationals - Warren Truss, Deputy Leader of the Opposition - Julie Bishop, Shadow Treasurer – Joe Hockey, Shadow Minister for Agriculture – John Cobb, Shadow Minister for Regional Development Barnaby Joyce and Shadow Minister for Industry Sophie Mirabella.
Mrs Mirabella’s inclusion on the taskforce will give local residents in the North East an opportunity to raise their concerns and offer solutions on how to improve the current policy settings.
“The accelerating pace of these foreign purchases land is causing real anxiety, especially in rural and regional communities,” said Mrs Mirabella.
“Locals are rightly concerned that we are quite literally ‘selling the farm’ in the dark of the night. They are concerned that there is no regulation, no monitoring and no oversight if these foreign purchases.
“My inclusion on this taskforce will allow local people to have direct input into future policy development.”
The working group will call for submissions and meet with concerned communities, businesses and other stakeholders and report in coming months, but Mrs Mirabella has encouraged locals to contact her office directly with any concerns or suggestions that they might have.
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