by admin | Nov 28, 2014 | Media Release
MEDIA RELEASE DAIRY FACTORY WILL CLOSE IF FOREIGN BUY UP GOES AHEAD ONE of south-west Victoria’s four dairy factories will close and a quarter of the district’s dairy industry jobs will be lost if the Chinese government’s plans to buy up our prime agricultural land go ahead, says Vote 1 Local Jobs founder James Purcell. Linear Capital, an investment company with links to the Chinese Government, is planning to buy dozens of south-west dairy farms. Mr Purcell said it is understood the proposal involves an entire controlled production line that would see hundreds of millions of dollars of infant milk formula sent straight to China. “The 50 south-west dairy farms Linear Capital is planning to purchase contribute 500 million litres of milk per year, a quarter of the south-west’s annual milk supply,” Mr Purcell said. “The direct export plans we understand the proposal involves, will see the milk product directly removed from our economy. “Due to the model they are proposing there will be very little benefit to south-west Victoria, or Australia as a whole. “The whole production line, from the farm to the international customer, could be totally invisible to us.” Mr Purcell said the proposal was deeply concerning for the south-west’s economy, future jobs and the status of our agricultural sector. “If you take out a quarter of our product and a quarter of our income, a quarter of our jobs will also go. “We have four dairy factories locally. Take away 25% of our milk and one of our dairy factories will be without product. “This is hugely concerning for south-west Victoria.” Vote 1 Local Jobs...
by admin | Oct 23, 2014 | Media Release
THE frightening trend of international consortiums purchasing large slabs of south-west farmland is threatening the future of Australia’s agriculture sector, says Vote 1 Local Jobs founder James Purcell. More and more international companies and governments are looking to our prime agriculture region to grow and develop products destined for international markets. The most recent is Linear Capital, with its Chinese partners planning to purchase dozens of south-west dairy farms. “We’ve all heard the saying that Australia was built on the sheep’s back. Our agriculture sector is one of our strongest economic bases and in the south-west the absolute foundation of our success,” Mr Purcell said. “If we continue to allow the foreign buy up of our prime agricultural land, what does that mean for our future? “It will mean the end of the family farm, the end of the next generation’s farming aspirations and the end of Australia’s independence. “We need a strong structure in place to support the agriculture sector and we need it in place now.” Vote 1 Local jobs is proposing a First Farm Owners Grant to encourage young farmers to take to the land and continue Australia’s agriculture sector. “We should be charging 50 per cent stamp duty on all foreign purchases of Victorian land, be it farming or residential. That stamp duty should then be used to fund a First Farm Owners Grant and continue the First Home Owners Grant, to support the next generation. “If we’re not careful we will be working for foreign governments, not for Australia. South-west Victoria has the most valuable agricultural land in Australia and it is vital we keep it in Australian hands. “Historically overseas companies pay...