Members’ Newsletter
9th October 2012
I apologise that I have not sent a newsletter for a while.
Since my last letter Vice Chairman, Dale Stiller has arranged a series of public meetings in Wandoan, Condamine and Cecil Plains featuring Creevy Russell solicitor Tom Marland, and hydrologists Max Winders or John Hilliard.
Author Sharyn Munroe, who has written an in depth book,” Rich land, Wasteland,” about the effects of coal mining and CSG on communities and the environment spoke about her book. Copies of the book are available from the PRA office- Ph.07 49213430
Dale has also been very active on his Facebook page “Rights Undermined” in leading the discussion about the relationship between resources companies and landowners.
One recent area of concern has been a change to legislation which has changed the definition of “occupier” which solicitors believe will limit the number of people carrying out farming operations in conjunction with resources companies, who can access compensation.
Tom Marland had a letter in Country Life last week warning of some of the traps in baseline measurements of bores for the purposes of “make good” provisions. Check all paperwork carefully before signing off. One bore was classed as “abandoned” because the pump was difficult to start.
PRA made a submission to the Inquiry into the Land Tenure Review and were subsequently invited to appear at the public hearings on the subject in Rockhampton.
The Inquiry submissions are publicly available and the WWF submission shows that while some WWF personnel are trying to publicly build bridges with the beef production sector, asking for a second chance and hoping to put the “us v them” attitude behind them others are advising government in ways that are not in the best interests of the industry. The duplicitous and dishonest nature of this group is clearly visible.
Their submission makes it clear that WWF believes that we need more regulation and inspection.
They are not in favour of making freeholding easier with praise for the inspections under the Delbessie Agreement making it necessary to have land in good condition. They believe that leases should be shorter rather than longer and they offered 10 years as a suitable length of time as in the US. In order to alleviate the State’s debt problem they suggested that it should charge commercial rents for its rural leasehold land.
Clearly, they want the Great Barrier Reef catchment under their control and they are prepared to do almost anything to achieve that aim.
PRA took the opposite view on every issue.
Senator Ron Boswell has made a strong stance against WWF and their certification schemes in the Senate. All of Senator Boswell’s claims are verifiable and he has clearly done a very great deal of research. His speech to the Senate has caused the issue to go Australia wide which it was not before and to get more mainstream coverage.
Full text: Ron Boswell’s speech to Senate
David Leyonhjelm has also written an excellent article on Cattle Council’s commitment to the Roundtable on Sustainable Beef. http://qcl.farmonline.com.au/blogs/agribuzz-with-david-leyonhjelm/beef-should-stay-off-the-round-table/2626677.aspx
David Leyonhjelm concludes, “Australia’s beef producers should instruct their representatives to have nothing to do with sustainability forums and certification schemes. Like Nigerian emails they are the start of a shakedown scam from which there is just one beneficiary, and it won’t be beef.”
PRA has written to Minister Cripps with our suggestions on the review of the enforcement of the Vegetation Management Act and the Minister’s office is clearly doing a lot of very good work in this area. Your Board has been very active in keeping the issues in the media and writing submissions and letters to government when appropriate.
Please don’t think that the job is done. We still require your support to continue to strongly advance the landowner’s position.
The Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) is the home of Tim Wilson, this year’s PRA Conference guest speaker. The IPA, as a conservative think tank which puts out papers with which our membership substantially agree. Please join IPA and show your support.
Regards
Joanne Rea
Joanne Rea, Chairman
Property Rights Australia
Phone: 07 49213430
Fax: 07 49213870
Email: pra1@bigpond.net.au
www.propertyrightsaustralia.org
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