Who is representing the small farmer who is forced to work off farm in this discussion? (due to 100yr drought...etc) It seems obscene that city focussed professionals can invest in agricultural companies (competing with the small farmer) and still negative gear their investment equities in those companies. What does the Labor Government hope to achieve with this legislation other than shaft the battler supporting regional Australia. Who is setting the thresholds on the conditional statements... farmers, company directors, or foreign investors? Equipment expenses of $100,000 with an income of $40,000... which planet are these people on?

Why should not all these Liberal Pitt Street farmers pay their share!

It sounded good but it still skews the equaton in favour of rich people who own land. An off farm income of $100 000 would still be disgusting but more equitable. It is these people using farms as tax dodges who are making it difficult for the average farmer to make a go of it. The property valued at more than $500 000 should exclude their homes because if they're that rich they would have mansions worth millions on these properties. No wonder grass roots farmers are battling - we are not only competing with cheap inferior products imported but also with the rich boys needing a tax loss. True farmers know that farming is a seventy hour a week hard slog. The criteria for a farmer should be someone whose main income is from farming. If these rich people want to farm let them set up companies and pay appropriate tax rates instead of ripping off the average Australian tax payer.

So okay...what this says 'to me' is that for me, I earn $36k working part-time, who has not got machinery worth $100,000 (don't need that much for a bunch of cows!!), and assets less than $500,000 (I lease land where possible), I can't claim my losses, is that right???? ...and in my game, the specialist cow/calf x stud cattle game, where nett profit/loss can fluctate $20k each way from year to year (I have averaged 'break-even' over ten years once my machinery/vehicle depreciation is considered), I live off my $36k as a part-time farm hand, have fun mucking around doing my bit trying to grow a decent agricultural enterprise that someday may sustain me and my family. Who makes up this crap? Who dictates that my 'dream' has been shattered because I rely on the loss-making/averaging between good and bad years to keep afloat? I shake my head...

This tax change will create a significant loss to regional Australia. Forget about petty jealousies about the fat cats, this tax will hit the local communities.

If the fat cats cannot claim tax benefits, they will not be employing local fencers, farm hands, builders and tradespersons. They will also not be buying from local rural stores.

They will not be cleaning up their properties. They will not be buying properties as they will be selling and this will drive down real estate prices in the country areas.

This tax change will cost jobs in rural area and will decrease real estate values.

'Thinkaboutit', you are right on the money. The regional areas need the investment to survive.

Most 'so called' city folk I know with genuine rural interest (as opposed to the green radicals , have their roots in the country and have been forced to take up the job in town to raise their family and try to save enough to get back to where they belong.

To put the tax pay record straight on PAYE earners ...there is no opportunity to split income with spouses, or have the use of various equipment or tools to do the fencing, clearing etc ... or write off the cost of employing a local to do the fencing.... why should tax have to be paid twice...the end result is that the money that could be spent, will be spent on an overseas holiday without the worries and the local contractor, fuel supplier, and shop keeper miss out completely.

And then the foreign investors will find the bargains. Helen, I hope it's not you that needs to sell when there is no demand or incentives for buyers who genuinely want to live in regional Australia (and are willing to take care of it).

Keep whistlin' dixie, there is a lot of people out there who are not working as farmhands because there isn't enough money in the region to pay them. They're the poor suckers who had to go to the city, work a day job and study all night to find a better paying job so they could inject some cash back into the regional areas. (70hrs a week sounds like a dream).

Let the lantana and blackberries grow, let the wild dogs and feral pigs breed...have fewer ratepayers and then see who pays and cries.

Rural Australia needs to wake up fast and unite on this critical issue. If consumers paid the value price of produce, and middletakers were regulated, the smaller farms would stand a chance to be profitable and people wouldn't need to have other income off farm to feed, clothe and educate their children.