Signs on Coppins Crossing Road

They have already said they won’t be doing anything for residential property. I can’t find any reference to it now, but I remember it being said at some point a few years ago.

Just remember that large tracts of the rest of Canberra (particularly in Liberal Land – The inner South) are about to hit the end of their 99 year leases too.

If the Government decides to take back the land I predict we’ll see blood in the streets.

Well, that certainly doesn’t *sound* fair.

I suppose it depends upon the nature of the lease — for example, if the farmers were granted the lease at a discount on the basis that they were able to conduct profitable activities on it for a limited time period, then I suppose you could argue that the government has no obligation to pay them out since the farmers have had the benefit of the land for XX years.

However, if the government tried to do the same thing to my residential property when its 99-year lease expired, there would be hell to pay, since I have no expectation of profit other than the capital appreciation in the land values. Have any ACT governments refused to renew residential leases in any part of Canberra? Anyone know if the same processes apply?

They only have to compensate you for ‘improvements’ eg new buildings. You get NOTHING at all for the land. So if you are a rural type with a few run down buildings, you get zip. and you have to get permission from them to put up new buildings. Lose Lose lose situation.

They’ll need to get Denis Denuto onto this quick smart.

Actually, I was wondering how and if people got compensation once the 99-year lease runs out.

Aside from the question of fair valuation, is the government obligated to pay you when not renewing the lease? Or can it just say, “thanks very much, we’ll take that?”

Didn’t anybody listen before they voted for Labour? This is the new Molonglo Valley development area that was in the spatial plan. Apparently the consortium of private developers that rule Canberra convinced ACTPLA that we HAD to have new housing out there right quick (while land values are still booming methinks). Rural lessees are over a barrel, getting screwed, they don’t even get a choice of barrel.

F*CKING GUVVIE BASTARDS!!!

FIRST THIS THEN THE AIDEN BRUFORD SHABBA – LETS TEAR EN A NEW ASS~!!!!!

Yes, the signs are on the farmland owned by the Coonans (next door to the Tullys). They are upset, because Stanhope and Corbell have told them that they are not going to have their leases renewed, and they are not going to be fairly compensated… Considering what a 1/4 acre block goes for in Canberra at the moment, you’d expect a pretty good price for all that land wouldn’t you?? Forget it. Reminds me of when the Government reclaimed all the land for the suburb of Cook and paid the farmers $1.60 per acre….

A month and a bit ago I interviewed David Coonan, whose father Frank owns one of the three properties concerned, about this for NowUC ( http://www.nowuc.com.au ). I won’t tell you the whole story (you’ll have to wait for our next issue for that), but I can tell you that the three properties concerned have a special kind of lease on them that the Commonwealth Government granted in the 1950s and the ACT government is basically buggering them round with the renewal. The property owners have known there was going to be a problem since about five years ago, but it’s all blown up since the 2003 fires. Apparently there was some coverage in the ABC and CT last year before the election. More on this sometime in May (don’t worry, I’ll let you know).
K