Property Rights

What are Property Rights?

In 2011, farmers across Australia are now asking what it actually means to own, or pay the mortgage on, a parcel of farm land. Farmers purchase land so that they can use it to produce food and fibre.  Understandably, they believe the Title to their land is a written guarantee of security, therefore giving them the freedom to invest in their farm as a real estate holding and invest in capital improvements and their home.
 
Each year this security and the confidence that farmers have in the basic rights and foundations of their existence and livelihood is being eroded by the actions and sometimes inaction of the Australian government. Property rights are the one of the foundations of modern society and it is impossible for citizens to enjoy the security offered by a Commonwealth in the absence of law protecting individual property. 

Property Rights News

Senate Report Released

The Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee has released its report into Native Vegetation Laws, Greenhouse Gas Abatement and Climate Change Measures. The report, released 30 April 2010, makes three recommendations aimed at addressing current legislation’s imbalance between conservation and agricultural production and recognising the need for future regulatory activities to be reoriented to focus on stewardship initiatives.  The report acknowledges that effective property rights are critical to a market-based economy, and that it is inappropriate for government regulation or activity to pose risks associated with uncertain property rights to landholders. The report also confirms that there are legitimate concerns about the impact of current native vegetation laws upon ‘a small group of Australians, namely landholders in rural and regional Australia’, and states that it is unreasonable that the burden of broad environmental objectives is borne by those landholders.  The Association has welcomed the release of the report, calling for immediate action on the Senate Committee’s recommendations.

The Association’s detailed submission in response to the Inquiry was quoted throughout the report, with a number of Members also quoted in the report. With 398 submissions received, it was pleasing to note how many were prepared by Members. This is an issue at the heart of farming in NSW and it is critically important that the report’s key findings positively influence future policy settings. The inquiry was an outcome of the Just Terms Compensation Property Rights Rally held in Canberra 2 February 2010, strongly supported by the Association (see below). 

Property Rights Campaign Past Updates

2010: Charles Armstrong 

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Key Documents

Property Rights Information
Property Rights overview

Native Vegetation Information
Native Vegetation Information Sheet
Native Vegetation Case Studies

Mining Information
Mining Information Sheet
Mining Case Studies

The Rally

Over 4000 farmers gathered in Canberra Tuesday, 2 February 2010 to make it clear that farmers must be compensated for the provision of biodiversity services and carbon services as well as the erosion of farmers property rights as a result of Government regulation and legislation. Speakers at the rally included Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, Senator Barnaby Joyce, Alan Jones, NSW Farmers Association President Charles Armstrong and Peter Spencer. The very successful rally represented another important step in the Association's ongoing campaign against the erosion of property rights. The Association is progressing the campaign with a petition (see below) amongst other initiatives.

Message from Association President, Charles Armstrong

"Thank you to all Association Members who came in from all over NSW on one of our 30 buses or drove to Canberra on 2 February 2010 for this highly successful rally. This was a fantastic effort by our District Councils and proves the vitally of our grass roots organisation.

"On the day, over 2000 farmers signed our petition calling for the House of Representatives to restore farmers rights to sustainably manage and develop their properties. If you were not able to attend or sign on the day, could you please download and sign the petition and send it back in to the Association.

"In addition to sending in your own petition today, I encourage you to collect signatures in your district."

Your sincerely,
Charles Armstrong

Download and print 'single signture' petition
Download and print 'multiple signature' petition