Recently I wrote to the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Agriculture expressing my opposition to the carbon tax and the purchasing of agricultural land by Chinese companies.
In a nutshell their replies on carbon tax was to insure Australia will lead the world on renewable energy in a bid to counter climate change.
In my opinion a carbon tax will have virtually no impact on climate change, especially when countries like China, India and America are doing nothing or little to stop greenhouse gases.
I believe a carbon tax is nothing more than redistribution of wealth.
Regarding my opposition to Chinese companies purchasing areas of agricultural land on the Liverpool plains in NSW I pointed out that just below the surface on the Liverpool plains are vast amounts of known coal deposits, so I asked the two politicians the question will their government allow the Chinese to bring in their mining equipment, and ship the coal back to China?
Both politicians evaded my questions, and stated that foreign investment has helped build Australia’s economy, and will enhance the wellbeing of Australians, by supporting economic growth and prosperity.
However they pointed out that the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975 provides the legislative framework for the federal government to review significant foreign investment proposals on a case-by-case basis.
They stated figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealing that at December 31, 2010, 89 per cent of agricultural land was entirely owned by Australians.
I obtained the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics which reveal as at December 31, 2011, there is a huge increase in foreign ownership of agricultural land, with the Northern Territory leading the rest of the states with 24 per cent foreign ownership, followed by South Australia 12 per cent, Queensland 11.8 per cent, Western Australia 8.5 per cent, Tasmania 5.6 per cent, New South Wales 2.7 per cent and Victoria 0.8 per cent.
If this increase in foreign ownership has increased so dramatically in one year, imagine who will own Australia in the foreseeable future, certainly not our grandchildren if this trend continues.
Another very disturbing aspect is that in 2009 the Labor federal government allowed China to use a station at Mingenew in Western Australia to track its satellites.
It did this, apparently not realising the dual purpose nature of China’s space program, with its military aspect. China was thus able to track Australian and American military activities, and track where all our defence installations are situated.
This information only came to public attention in The Australian, November 28, 2011, on page 5.
Australia was once called the lucky country, or clever country, but sadly in a subtle way our federal Labor government, which came to power by default, with the aid of the Greens and certain Independents through our so-called democratic preferential voting system, has slowly but surely changed our way of life to conform to their political agendas.
The famous English statesman Edmund Bourke stated, “All power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”.
Hedley Scholz
Eudunda
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