Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

It is really important that we recognise that the coalition is going down a process of a more stringent review than where we currently are. Where we currently are at the moment is $244 million before you even go to the Foreign Investment Review Board. Two hundred and forty-four million dollars is a rather substantial amount of money, and it is more than that, because you can buy a place for $243,999,000 today and buy another one for $243,999,000 the next day. That is a ludicrous position.

We have to also acknowledge that, where we are currently, there has been a tenfold increase in the amount of investment in agriculture, forestry and fishing from a baseline average of the 2007-08 level to 2011-12.

Something is on. People are securing their agricultural footprint and they are doing it at the expense of a position that is held in Australia that is not replicated anywhere in the world. You cannot go to the People's Republic of China and buy up their agricultural land. You cannot go to Japan and do it. You cannot go to Korea and do it. You cannot go to Saskatchewan in Canada and do it. You cannot go to Nebraska in the United States and do it. You cannot go to New Zealand and do it.

So let us dispense with this argument that it is somehow xenophobic to state the bleeding obvious, because it is an issue that is peculiar to Australia and it is not xenophobic to try to protect your nation's interest. One of the greatest representations of this nation is the soil we stand on. One of the greatest aspirations this nation should have is the aspiration that Australian families will live on Australian farms just like Australian families will live in Australian houses in Australian suburbs. They might not neatly fit into any economic principle of unbridled free-market, but it is a principle of patriotism, it is a principle of how we see the nation and it is most certainly a principle you see out in the street every day. This is an issue that is brought up to me by people I speak to all the time. It is one of those classic issues. Walk past someone in the street and they will find some relationship about you and the political debate. Well, this is it. This is what they talk about.

It is galling to read an article quoting the Minister for Trade Mr Craig Emerson telling China green tape will be cut, saying:

Australia has promised China it will iron out problems with excessive 'green tape' and environmental approvals to encourage and fast-track greater Chinese investment in Australian agriculture.

What about Australian families? What about ironing out for Australian families? What about doing it for our people? What happened to that idea? This is where there is this incredible disconnect. It is going to be very interesting for Mr Emerson when he actually goes to contest his seat because, if people read what he believes in, he might not be the person they want to vote for, because his beliefs are not a reflection of the general psyche of Australia. Australians are not xenophobic, but they do want to make sure that our nation has proper control over our destiny. Our future is represented in our ownership of the most crucial manifestation of what our nation is—the soil we stand on.

In urban environments the laws are different. You cannot go to residential areas as a foreign entity and buy up established residential housing. You are just not able to do it. That went through quietly. Why? Because of the political ramifications. The Australian people did not want that to happen. The National Party asks: what is the epiphany about a 60 kilometre per hour speed limit that changes a piece of legislation so that, once you get out in the country, all of a sudden, it is a free-for-all? Why? Surely if controls are worthwhile in an urban constituency—and good luck to them—then a semblance of the same controls is worthwhile in a regional constituency. We are not asking for something different. In fact, we are asking for something that our fellow Australians have in an urban constituency. I think the Australian people want that. We want to trade with South-East Asia. We know our future is in South-East Asia, we must trade with South-East Asia, but we will trade on our terms as the benefactors from the wealth from our land. We will definitely have foreign investment. We acknowledge that but what we also acknowledge is that lately there has been exponential growth in this. We have been bullied and corralled into saying, 'You cannot talk about it, you are not supposed to talk about it, you are not supposed to ventilate this issue.' Well, I think we have got to.

I support the essence of the further ventilation of issues via this bill but I also acknowledge that, for reasons we have stated, the coalition is already walking down a path of a greater review of this process. It is not that we are outside the field or not participants in this. I do acknowledge that I will doing my darnedest and so will my colleagues and the National Party to make sure.