Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

I can confirm that the shadow minister did indeed challenge the Minister for Agriculture to a debate on foreign ownership, and he did state that he would be prepared to debate the minister on this important policy matter 'any time, any place'.

Minister Joyce subsequently arranged to conduct the debate at the Woolbrook Hall in Woolbrook in the minister's electorate of New England. I can also confirm of course that the shadow minister did not attend. Had the shadow minister turned up, he would have been reminded that the coalition government remains strongly committed to ensuring we have the right level of oversight and scrutiny in place to review foreign investment.

We believe we have struck the right balance by introducing a $15 million FIRB review threshold for agricultural land and with our proposal to introduce a $55 million FIRB review threshold for agribusiness. What is Labor proposing to do? Labor is proposing to lift the threshold to over $1,000 million. (Time expired)