Rowan Ramsey (Grey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I've spoken in this place many times about the injustice that sits within the Commonwealth Lands Acquisition Act and the compulsory acquisition orders that go with that. I've had a number of purchases on my patch that have come about as a requirement of Defence wanting to expand operations. I have backed all along Defence and the national right to do this, but I can tell you that the current act treats the landholders worse than rubbish. It is an appalling system. It can typically take up to 20 years to settle the claims that go with that.

I've been calling for a review into this area for some time. I'd like to thank the minister, Mathias Cormann, for granting that review. It is underway at the moment. I have been contacting those people who have been severely disadvantaged and affected by this compulsory acquisition act as it stands to make sure they get their contributions in. I have certainly put mine in. I've written a paper suggesting what I believe the new regulations should look like in this space. I call on anyone else in Australia who has been the subject of the Commonwealth Lands Acquisition Act to make sure they get their submissions in at this time and have their say.