The Hon. Beverley McArthur, Member for Western Victoria, Media Release, 14 February 2024
Questions have been raised about the future ownership of 32 hectares of Twelve Apostles land at the centre of the Labor Government’s compulsory acquisition campaign.
Despite the current owners being willing and able to develop and privately fund a magnificent visitor centre, the state government is proceeding with its plan to waste at least $108 million of taxpayers’ money on a publicly funded precinct.
Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur, slammed Labor’s decision to proceed with the project using compulsory acquisition powers and public money.
“The Nesseler family and Victorians deserve to know if the land the government eventually acquires will be handed over to a third party or managed as a commercial enterprise by the Government itself.
Following concerns about the future ownership and development of the site, Mrs McArthur, in Parliament, asked whether “land acquired by Development Victoria would be leased, sold, or handed over to any third party, for example the Eastern Maar Corporation or an overseas entity?”
Mrs McArthur, who has previously criticised Labor’s decision to proceed with the project, said “if this land were to be developed and administered by a third party it would really be a slap in the face for the owners.
“Should the land-grab proceed we can all say goodbye to the safeguards which once protected private property. Those days are well and truly over under Labor.
“This government talks but never listens. The property owners have been telling this socialist Labor government, hellbent on running roughshod over individuals, families, and businesses, that they are keen to undertake this project privately.
“Not only is this acquisition of privately owned land against the will of the owners, it will damage their existing tourism business and will cost the taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation for the land, and construction of the project. It will also inevitably be a pale reflection of what a privately built and operated facility could have offered.
“Governments should only use coercive powers to acquire private property for essential state public infrastructure needs, and definitely not for commercial purposes or to gift the confiscated land to third parties” she added.
