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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2018-07-24 Daily Xml
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Non-viable Farming Land

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (15:03): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, representing the Minister for Planning, a question regarding non-viable farming land.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY: When the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act was proposed in 2016, the environment and food production areas were established with the intention to protect our vital food and agricultural areas in this state. Protecting these areas protects our food security, economic growth and local jobs.

However, a number of issues have now made broadacre farms that are used for cropping or grazing non-viable in the peri-urban areas within certain areas of the EFPAs, such as in the Barossa region. These issues include land area of properties being too small to enable viable operations, access restrictions to land, limited access to irrigation water, and restrictions on the operation of some farming practices for properties adjacent to housing or sensitive crops.

Owners of these properties find that they are stuck between a rock and a hard place, as their land has become non-viable for farming and there is little value in the land for anything else, especially as the land cannot be subdivided for residential or other purposes. There is also very little potential for the land to be subdivided for agricultural purposes because of the lack of access to underground water. Essentially, their livelihood has been severely damaged and the value of their land has dramatically declined. Given the above, my questions to the minister are:

1. What consideration has been given to landowners in this position?

2. Has any consideration been given to providing a reasonable and equitable exit strategy for these owners?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (15:05): I thank the honourable member for his question. I think the best solution would be for me to take that on notice and refer it to the minister in the other chamber and bring back a reply.

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