The Victorian government has stepped-over local councils to prevent landowners from developing their farmland without awarding any compensation to land owners or the councils for the loss of revenue each would receive if they were to develop the land.
While the argument for locking-up farmland in the US is about preventing land sprawl, in Australia it seems to be more about keeping a nice vista for holiday makers and city/townsfolk wishing to see some ‘real Australia’ as close to home as possible.
Whatever the merits of the Australian philosophy, this is plainly a case of farmers yet again having to bear the brunt for the rest of the community? If the community and its representative government wants to keep specific farmland as such, then the fairest method in a commercial democracy would seem to be to purchase the land at a commercial rate. We would then see just how valuable the philosophy is to all involved. Otherwise, farmers have been made to pay for land that is basically being appropriated by Big Brother!
At least the Californian govt provides tax breaks to farmers for a similar process, although they stop short at Communistic appropriation! Info on Californian tax breaks for farm land
What do you think?
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