Australian military under fire for plans to take over cattle land for Singapore troops
In November, 60 cattle property owners in Marlborough and Charters Towers learned they may face forced resumptions
A plan for Australia’s military to take over vast swaths of Queensland cattle country faces escalating domestic political backlash, including opposition from the Turnbull government’s state counterparts.
But it was not until last November that more than 60 cattle property owners in Marlborough and Charters Towers learned in letters from the Department of Defence that they may face forced resumptions.
About 170,000 hectares is mooted to accommodate 14,000 troops a year arriving from Singapore. Most of land on the slab makes up some of the country’s best, drought-resistant grazing property, home to 100,000 head of cattle. There is a further 5,000-plus hectares of national parks and state forest.
The Australian government, which engaged KPMG to carry out a socioeconomic study of the plan’s impact, has fast-tracked the release of the exact properties the Department of Defence is eyeing to next month.
