Australian defense land selloff runs into multiparty opposition
Former PM Howard tells crowd: 'You don’t give that up for a few bob.'
Former Prime Minister John Howard urged the Australian government to reverse its plans to sell defense land in prime locations during a rally in Sydney. The rally, attended by a few thousand attendees, saw members of various political parties and groups, including the nationalist One Nation party, united in their opposition to the land selloff.
Howard called for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to either change course on the land selloff or resign, stating that the heritage and history of the sites are more important than short-term financial gains. The defense land selloff, which is expected to raise 3 billion Australian dollars (gross) or 1.8 billion (net), has met fierce resistance across political parties, including the conservative Liberal-National Coalition, the far-right One Nation, the left-wing Greens, and even members of Albanese's own Labor party in the NSW state government.
The government believed that the surplus properties, which include prime harbor-front properties in Sydney, could be better utilized for future fighting capability. However, many political opponents argue that the government should spend less and lower inflation instead, as the sale of these sites is seen as a threat to Australia's national heritage and history.
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