I believe that most Australians, who are largely an urban based population in coastal cities, had no real objection to Chinese investment in mining ventures in Queensland or Western Australia. On that basis I don't believe that most urban Australians would object to the ‘Feeding the Future’ proposal as an ‘Investment Co-operation Agreement’, to develop agricultural projects in northern Australia. Nor would most rural Australians. We need to see the north developed. We don't need to see the Chinese buying developed properties like Cubbie.

Foreign buy-up of already developed property and industry is certainly causing big problems for country and city people alike.
Development of rural and city industry and even housing property was usually done with some sort of taxation advantage/assistance with intent to help Australia generate prosperity and income, including big income from export of food and fibre.
Why sell such already developed home grown business and lose profit and tax revenue, and then increase other taxes and generate new ones in order to run our nation.
What has been happening here via our government and the FIRB with it's $200 million take action policy, is akin to blindly selling your own children.
On the other hand, Chinese and other foreign investment in new project development should be welcomed, both in Australia and in China.

I agree mostly with the first two posters, and can only add, maybe we should take a leaf out of the Canadian government's book, and seriously limit market warping foreign investment!
The residential market needs to be retained for local residents residential accommodation only.
If only to return sanity and affordability!
Ditto farms etc. if only to ensure, our kids/Aussies get a look in.
For every buyer there's a seller, and some are the type that are always all right/just don't give a rats, the rest of you can go visit the nearest taxidermist.
Ditto those money grubbing Realtors, who serve that cadre!
In one sense I'm glad we could be facing a war, (WWW111) given that might restore just a modest measure of national patriotism to our property/asset markets!
Moreover, a state of emergency, would be the only real opportunity, to finally and completely disband for all time, state governments; and all of the problems and corruption, they seem to have added to/created in this market/processes.
Rhrosty.

Foreign companies are a bad idea, due to the fact that many of them pay no or little tax, through using taxation avoidance schemes.

Google
Apple
The mining companies.

Just to name a few.

Willy B it is worse than just not paying tax.
What the Chinese are asking for in the current Free Trade talks is the
right to buy the farms and bring in their own labour.

So, they will run the farm, employ Chinese labour, pay them their
Chinese wages and export the produce at cost and so make no profit.

They will pay lip service to paying Australian wages but will have a
million reasons for making deductions from the wages.
Charge them an exorbitant amount of air fares, after they return to China of course.

Oh yes we will be that stupid !