Coalition backflips on foreign investment

[mantra]

Didn't we hear promises by the new government that foreign investment would be reduced from $248 to $15 million? That promise will have to be reneged on as the Abbott government considers increasing it to $1 billion as demanded by Beijing. They want the same deal as the US has with us and as the Coalition wants to sign us up to an FTA with China ASAP - they will meet China's demands.

Hockey is backing down after meeting with officials from the World Bank and IMF - after all they are the puppet masters who pull our strings to go in the direction they want.

The Abbott government talks in riddles inferring that foreign ownership is the same as foreign investment. We know they're two different issues, but we're only the dummies who voted for these frauds.

The Coalition's policy of reducing the threshold at which foreign investments in agricultural land must be considered by the Foreign Investment Review Board from $248 million to $15 million is expected to be a stumbling block in the negotiations. It is believed Beijing wants the threshold raised to $1 billion - the same arrangement that applies for proposed US investments, and an offer made by former trade minister Richard Marles on a mission to China in July.

''I'm not going to pre-empt the outcome of any of the negotiations, but I do want to emphasise that Australia is open for investment and we need foreign investment. We need foreign investment because Australia cannot fund its own needs. It hasn't been able to fund its own needs since 1788, and we have relied on foreign investment since that time to grow our nation. We are going to continue to rely on that investment, but obviously we need to deal with what is in the national interest.''

Asked about the possibility of raising the threshold to $1 billion, Mr Hockey responded: ''It's a balancing act and I'm very confident that we will get it right if we are to conclude a free trade negotiation with China.''

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/federal ... 2vgt8.html

[mellie]

Agreed, this is of concern if we go the way of the US and don't implement measures to secure our soverignty in the process of doing business with those engaging in corporate, industrial, economic espionage.
I trust Abbott knows what he's doing it's a delicate balance.

[Bart]

fairfax press, yeah a credible source



although I would recommend them on their choice of spin dryers

[wog_girl]

Agreed, this is of concern if we go the way of the US and don't implement measures to secure our soverignty in the process of doing business with those engaging in corporate, industrial, economic espionage.
I trust Abbott knows what he's doing it's a delicate balance.

Unfortunately China is such a powerhouse that it can pretty much get anything it wants. A free trade agreement with China will benefit them way more than us. Just wait til the next drought really kicks in, we won't have many farms and water supplies left.

However don't blame China, blame Australia for being such a lazy, weak as piss country.

[mantra]

However don't blame China, blame Australia for being such a lazy, weak as piss country.

I don't think we as a nation generally are lazy and piss weak, just too trusting of our leaders and as a consequence have been rendered impotent. We are promised so much and then the moment the party gets into power - it goes to their head and all promises are forgotten. We have the power to remove a government every 3 years, but each replacement seems to get worse. We only have a choice of two - so they're both secure in the knowledge that they'll get a turn. They accept the bribes, ignore the rorts and are complicit in the exploitation of the people who voted for them. Neither of the two major parties care about us - when they're in government, they only consider what is in their best interests and what looks good for them.

This is why I vote for the Greens. They haven't got a loud voice and most people don't like what they stand for, but they're honest and they're prepared to stand up against those who are exacerbating the destruction of Australia.

[wog_girl]

I don't think we as a nation generally are lazy and piss weak, just too trusting of our leaders and as a consequence have been rendered impotent. We are promised so much and then the moment the party gets into power - it goes to their head and all promises are forgotten. We have the power to remove a government every 3 years, but each replacement seems to get worse. We only have a choice of two - so they're both secure in the knowledge that they'll get a turn. They accept the bribes, ignore the rorts and are complicit in the exploitation of the people who voted for them. Neither of the two major parties care about us - when they're in government, they only consider what is in their best interests and what looks good for them.

This is why I vote for the Greens. They haven't got a loud voice and most people don't like what they stand for, but they're honest and they're prepared to stand up against those who are exacerbating the destruction of Australia.

Spare me your Greens bullshit - they would do exactly the same if they ever got their hands on the ultimate prize. Australians are certainly lazy and weak as piss. How many are protesting coal seam gas mining and the sales of prime farm land and water supplies? Hardly any. Too busy posting selfies on facebook.

[mantra]

Spare me your Greens bullshit - they would do exactly the same if they ever got their hands on the ultimate prize. Australians are certainly lazy and weak as piss. How many are protesting coal seam gas mining and the sales of prime farm land and water supplies? Hardly any. Too busy posting selfies on facebook.

"Selfies"? I thought that was a teenage thing.

There are plenty of people protesting, but no-one is listening. The more people protest, the quicker the state governments change the legislation to cut red tape and make it easier for the miners. When Gillard tried to intervene - she was vilified, but she tried as have the Greens who continue to protest - and even a few RW voices are amongst the protestors.

Below is just an example. In NSW CSG mining will be commencing next to Sydney's water catchment. The NSW State Liberals have slackened the legislation ensuring that most environmental checks and balances are removed. It is only Labor and the Greens calling out for CSG not to be mined anywhere near our water catchments.

NSW Labor will push for a permanent ban on coal seam gas activity in bush buffering Sydney's water catchment areas, ramping up pressure on the O'Farrell government to fulfil a pre-election promise to protect the city's drinking water supplies.

Opposition Leader John Robertson says the party will also investigate banning coal seam gas activities in water catchments across NSW, potentially preventing the extraction of billions of dollars of gas.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/labor-propose ... 2vnve.html

Queensland Liberals don't care about their water supplies either.

Seeney concurred with Fisher’s frustration at the growing Greens movement and added the Queensland Government is unhappy with the volatility in policy decision-making at the federal level.

He attacked the Gillard Government for bringing in new federal assessments on the impacts of CSG and coal industry on groundwater without sufficient discussion.

He labelled the move a ‘knee-jerk reaction’ to pacify the greens’ concerns about the resources sector.

“Let there be no doubt that there is a concerted and co-ordinated campaign under way from the radical greens to attack, delay and halt any and every development proposal in the resources sector,” he said.

“We see it daily in Queensland where every proposal for development is portrayed as a threat that will lead to total destruction of the Great Barrier Reef.

“Not only is it claimed that LNG plants in Gladstone Harbour will kill the Reef, port development – wherever it is proposed – will kill the Reef. New mines hundreds of kilometres inland will kill the Reef and even ships carrying bauxite from the other side of the Cape will kill the Reef.”

http://www.miningaustralia.com.au/news/ ... g-protests

[wog_girl]

So adults don't take pics of themselves and post them online?

NSW Labor whingeing about CSG mining? Bwahahahaha, those bastards encouraged it and personally profited from it. Now that they have been electorally humiliated and been reduced to minor party style influence, they are hugging koalas and caring about the poor folk of the farms? Puke-central. NSW Libs equal hypocrites, as are QLD Labs/Libs. All want a quick buck and screw everyone else.

What concerns me is that it takes Alan Jones to do a press conference about it for the ABC and the mainstream media to show any interest in covering it and even then it's a crock. Most Australians don't bother to educate themselves about the impacts of mining, in fact I doubt they would even know what CSG mining is. Most don't even research where their food comes from.

[mantra]

So adults don't take pics of themselves and post them online?

NSW Labor whingeing about CSG mining? Bwahahahaha, those bastards encouraged it and personally profited from it. Now that they have been electorally humiliated and been reduced to minor party style influence, they are hugging koalas and caring about the poor folk of the farms? Puke-central. NSW Libs equal hypocrites, as are QLD Labs/Libs. All want a quick buck and screw everyone else.[/quote]

The state Liberals did exactly the same thing when they were in opposition. O'Farrell promised stricter control and fewer leases - yet he's done just the opposite. They can mine in our backyards and underneath water catchments now - thanks to our Lib premier. We can't trust either of the major parties to stick to their promises.

What concerns me is that it takes Alan Jones to do a press conference about it for the ABC and the mainstream media to show any interest in covering it and even then it's a crock. Most Australians don't bother to educate themselves about the impacts of mining, in fact I doubt they would even know what CSG mining is. Most don't even research where their food comes from.

Most people don't seem to care. Even though Alan Jones is a Liberal, he's got my admiration and support for his tireless lobbying for the preservation of our food and water supplies. He gets his message out to a lot of people.

The more agricultural land we lose to foreign ownership and mining, the more food we'll be importing. We use to have a healthy food export trade, but it's deteriorating rapidly. Foreign owners pay no tax if the food is being sent to their country of origin to feed their people.