Senator the Hon. Richard Colbeck, North-Eastern Advertiser, 29 April 2026
The Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, must reject an application to the Foreign Investment Review Board for a subsidised sale of the 22,000 ha dairy and beef property Rushy Lagoon to foreign investors.
Read More
It is not in Tasmania’s or Australia’s “national interest” to support the sale of this irrigated dairy and beef farm to foreign interests subsidised by the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to convert it into a tree farm.
This form of market distortion is just not on.
It is however typical of the mixed messaging that has become a trait of the Albanese Government.
At the same time that the Albanese Government tells us that they are developing a National Food Security Plan they are considering a proposal to subsidise a foreign company to turn valuable, irrigated food producing land into a tree farm.
Foreign investments and forestry both have an important role in our economy, but they can and should be used to build our capacity, not undermine it.
In using taxpayer’s funds to undermine our food security producing capacity the Albanese Government is taking us in the wrong direction.
While the support for workers at Liberty Bell Bay is welcome, we need way more effort from Minister Tim Ayres over support for metals manufacturing businesses while he trots around the country shoring up similar businesses with billions of dollars in South Australia, Queensland and his home state of NSW.
Both Liberty Bell Bay and Bell Bay Aluminium are businesses that are essential in our economy if we are to have the promised “Future made in Australia” After three extensions to the decision making process on Rushy Lagoon the treasurer can make a start.
It is time he brought this process to an end by rejecting both the market distorting subsidy and application.
Neither are in our interests.
Close
Read an Extract
