Denison, Tasmania, Independent MP Andrew Wilkie has called on the Federal government to intervene in the sale of Van Dieman’s Land Company (VDL), to a Chinese bulk commodity company.
Mr Wilkie said he would be asking the Prime Minister to ensure the iconic and economically strategic holding was returned to Australian hands.
“The owners accepted a bid by a majority Australian consortium committed to producing premium branded dairy products,” Mr Wilkie said. “But they’ve been gazumped by a Chinese bulk commodity enterprise.
“It is an enormous operation- it is without doubt the single, most important dairy producing asset in Australia, and it’s about to be sold to the Chinese.”
Tasmanian dairy company TasFoods was back in court this morning, to further argue against the sale of the VDL to Chinese investor, Moon Lake. TasFoods initially gained an interim injunction against the sale of VDL, to Moon Lake.
The court also ordered a copy of the agreement between Moon Lake and company principal Tasman Land Company be provided to TasFoods’ legal advisers.
Mr Wilkie said it was not a matter which should be left up to the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB).
“VDL is the largest dairy asset in Australia, was established in 1824 and is the last Royal Charter company to farm land exclusively within the original land grant,” Mr Wilkie said. “It involves about 30,000 cows and 20,000 hectares over 25 farms.”
It was currently owned by a New Zealand council.
He said he had no objection to foreign ownership of farms but the government had to draw the line on assets such as ports, railways or airports.
“Surely it is evident they must be held by an Australian government, or by a wholly or majority owned Australian enterprise,” Mr Wilkie said.
“It beggars belief we would miss this opportunity to take back into majority Australian ownership the largest dairy producing asset in the country.”
Australian ownership of VDL was even more important as climate change affected dairying on the mainland but would have less impact in Tasmania.
He said the farm also was also important as Australia moved from mining to the food resources boom.
“There is no difference between New Zealand and Chinese ownership – there is a hell of a difference between Australian, and foreign ownership,” Mr Wilkie said.
“I am not having a go at the Chinese – we have got a chance to get it back, let’s grab it, we will only be able to reclaim it, if the government intervenes.”
