PLANS to seek billions of dollars in Chinese investment to transform vast tracts of undeveloped land in northern Australia for farming would come at the expense of giving Australians access to affordable, good quality food, opponents say.
The Trade and Competitiveness Minister, Craig Emerson, has confirmed
that the government is undertaking a joint study with China to examine
the policy changes needed to facilitate a massive investment by Chinese
agricultural interests.
Dr Emerson denied this meant plans to ''buy up the farm'' and use imported labour to produce food for the voracious Chinese market with its 1.3 billion citizens. "It is designed to lift Australian food production for world markets," Mr Emerson said.
The Nationals Senator, Barnaby Joyce, who has pushed for tougher restrictions on foreign ownership of land - a move seen as breaking ranks with the Liberals - said it was a worry for urban as well as regional Australians. While the move by the Chinese was "astute", Senator Joyce said it exposed the lack of planning for our own food security since Australia was now a net importer of food - and the resulting inflation had an impact on food prices. "It's not that you'll run out of food; it's the form of food that you'll be able to buy, and that is happening right now. How often do you see people now who in the past bought the roast, now by mince? Why? Because they can't afford the roast, but that was once a staple."
Selling Australian land to a foreign state-owned enterprise has troubling implications, according to Joyce. "Therefore it is held by an organ of the government, and governments , especially strong ones like the Chinese, don't go broke. Therefore they can hold it in perpetuity".
Joyce denied his views were xenophobic. "Look at any other country and see what their controls of [foreign] investment are like and then compare it to ours and you'll see you can't buy [land] in China, you can't buy it in Japan, you can't buy it in South Korea, you're struggling to buy in the United States and there are vastly greater controls with buying it in New Zealand."
The Liberal senator Bill Heffernan said Australians were either "too bloody tired or too bloody lazy" to develop the land to ensure our own future. "I think it's time that all Australians sat up and took notice … we're not just going to lose control of our sovereignty but of our own destiny. If you let other nations take control of your sovereign assets it's no different to what would have happened 100 years ago when they [invaded] with an army."
Senator Heffernan, who chairs a Senate inquiry into Australia's foreign investment rules, fears it will push up the price of land and distorts the market.
While northern Australia has millions of hectares of under-utilised land - and abundant water and good proximity to Asia - obstacles to development have included poor transport links and a very difficult climate. Until now China has focused on opening up farmland in South America and Africa to meet the demands of its burgeoning middle class.
More than a quarter of meat produced worldwide is now eaten in China. In 1978, China's annual consumption of meat was 7.25 million tonnes. It is now 64.5 million tonnes and more than twice that of the US.
Julia Gillard told a conference on "Australia in the Asian century" this month that we should be ready to act as Asia's food bowl by building our food-processing industry and developing irrigation and higher-yield crops.
Dr Emerson denied this meant plans to ''buy up the farm'' and use imported labour to produce food for the voracious Chinese market with its 1.3 billion citizens. "It is designed to lift Australian food production for world markets," Mr Emerson said.
The Nationals Senator, Barnaby Joyce, who has pushed for tougher restrictions on foreign ownership of land - a move seen as breaking ranks with the Liberals - said it was a worry for urban as well as regional Australians. While the move by the Chinese was "astute", Senator Joyce said it exposed the lack of planning for our own food security since Australia was now a net importer of food - and the resulting inflation had an impact on food prices. "It's not that you'll run out of food; it's the form of food that you'll be able to buy, and that is happening right now. How often do you see people now who in the past bought the roast, now by mince? Why? Because they can't afford the roast, but that was once a staple."
Selling Australian land to a foreign state-owned enterprise has troubling implications, according to Joyce. "Therefore it is held by an organ of the government, and governments , especially strong ones like the Chinese, don't go broke. Therefore they can hold it in perpetuity".
Joyce denied his views were xenophobic. "Look at any other country and see what their controls of [foreign] investment are like and then compare it to ours and you'll see you can't buy [land] in China, you can't buy it in Japan, you can't buy it in South Korea, you're struggling to buy in the United States and there are vastly greater controls with buying it in New Zealand."
The Liberal senator Bill Heffernan said Australians were either "too bloody tired or too bloody lazy" to develop the land to ensure our own future. "I think it's time that all Australians sat up and took notice … we're not just going to lose control of our sovereignty but of our own destiny. If you let other nations take control of your sovereign assets it's no different to what would have happened 100 years ago when they [invaded] with an army."
Senator Heffernan, who chairs a Senate inquiry into Australia's foreign investment rules, fears it will push up the price of land and distorts the market.
While northern Australia has millions of hectares of under-utilised land - and abundant water and good proximity to Asia - obstacles to development have included poor transport links and a very difficult climate. Until now China has focused on opening up farmland in South America and Africa to meet the demands of its burgeoning middle class.
More than a quarter of meat produced worldwide is now eaten in China. In 1978, China's annual consumption of meat was 7.25 million tonnes. It is now 64.5 million tonnes and more than twice that of the US.
Julia Gillard told a conference on "Australia in the Asian century" this month that we should be ready to act as Asia's food bowl by building our food-processing industry and developing irrigation and higher-yield crops.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/sell-the-farm-to-buy-a-future-as-chinas-food-bowl-20120531-1zkv0.html#ixzz1wUDDLK00
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