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Abbott to take food security issues to national parliament

Radio king Alan Jones said Australian classic The Castle could become a reality if governments don’t develop an effective food security policy.

In the 1997 movie featuring Michael Katon, a modest Australian family who are being forced out of their home by government and airport authorities.

In an interview with Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, Jones quizzed the leader about the controversial coal seam gas (CSG) mining on prime agricultural land and access of land to install the National Broadband Network.

“But the Government’s going to give the National Broadband Network authority to go onto people’s private property without their permission,” Jones said.

Abbott took the opportunity for a political dig, replying that the issue was “another example of the arrogance and high-handedness and the untrustworthiness of the Gillard government.”

“But see, isn’t this an area where you’re going to have to be tough about all of this?” Jones asked.

“Landowners must have the last word, surely, on whether anyone can enter their property.”

Abbot said, “Alan, there is an old saying, an Englishman’s home is his castle and…” but was interrupted by Jones: “Well, it’s not!”

“Well, it should be and the thing is that if you don’t want something to happen on your land, you ought to have a right to say no,” Abbott said.

“Now, ok, under certain circumstances, the Government ought to be able to resume your land but it’s got to be done at a fair price and…

Jones questioned the sale of prime agricultural land to foreign companies at the expense of Australia’s farming industry.

“But when you talk about price, I mean, Qatar have just bought 8,000 hectares of prime agricultural land in the western districts of Victoria,” he said.

“They’ve got a policy from paddock to plate – our paddock to their plate.

“Should we be selling our prime agricultural land to international mining conglomerates or to international….nation states at the expense of our agricultural capacity?”

Jones said Australia is in the midst of an “invasion” from foreign governments investing in Australia.

In response to a question from Jones about whether he would be taking the concerns to the national parliament, Abbott agreed as the “alternative Prime Minister, it is my job to give a voice to the voiceless.”

Image: The ABC

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