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Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox said taxpayer-backed investment should not compete with farmers for agricultural land. Photo supplied.
The Coalition has pledged to prevent the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) from funding entities that acquire agricultural land to establish tree plantations for carbon offsets.
The proposed legislation would also abolish Labor’s net zero laws and end what the Coalition describes as more than $80 billion in government spending on the transition.
The announcement follows the sale of Tasmania’s 21,745-hectare Rushy Lagoon property to UK investment firm Gresham House. The CEFC is investing $69 million in the project, with about 9000 hectares planned for pine plantations.
Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox said taxpayer-backed investment should not compete with farmers for agricultural land.
“We have farmers across Dawson working incredibly hard to put food on Australian tables, yet Labor is prepared to help foreign investment funds acquire Australian land for carbon projects,” Mr Willcox said.
He questioned whether agricultural industries including Bowen’s mango plantations, sugar and vegetable production could face increasing competition for land.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor said food security should take priority over carbon projects.
“Families are already paying too much at the supermarket and the last thing we should be doing is weakening our ability to grow food by turning productive farms into carbon assets,” Mr Taylor said.
“It is extraordinary that taxpayers are being asked to help investment funds outbid farmers for Australian farmland.”
Nationals leader Matt Canavan said the Coalition would repeal Labor’s net zero laws and prevent taxpayer money being used to purchase farms for carbon projects.
Mr Willcox also linked the issue to the proposed expansion of Australia’s biofuels industry, arguing agricultural production would need to be protected to supply feedstocks.
“Labor is now telling us that sugar and other agricultural products can provide the feedstocks for a new Australian bioenergy industry, but you cannot build a biofuels industry without the farmers who grow the feedstock,” he said.
The Coalition said its proposed changes would prevent taxpayer funding from distorting the agricultural land market.
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