Majura Valley farmers have welcomed the Canberra Liberals’ support for their efforts to secure long-term leases on their land.

For nearly 20 years, Majura Valley landholders have longed for certainty, and while the ACT Government has promised to organise leases, the process is still underway.

“It’s nice to get some support from the Liberals in our plight with the current government and our case to have our 99-year leases renewed,” said Paul Keir, a fifth-generation farmer.

Those 99-year leases on their rural properties expired in 2004, and the farmers have clung on by their fingertips to short-term leases, knowing that if the ACT Government wanted their land, they would have to vacate within three months.

In October 2022, the ACT Government offered the farmers a 25-year lease, which they accepted, Mr Keir said. That December, Mick Gentleman, then-Minister for Planning, confirmed that the government would work with the Department of Defence to degazette split blocks in the Majura Valley.

Part of the land is National Land; Defence proposes to revoke the blocks’ National Land status (at no cost to the Territory), rather than through a commercial, concessional or market value sale to the Territory, the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development directorate advised Chief Minister Andrew Barr in September 2022.

To that end, in late 2022, Defence began their due diligence processes consistent with the Commonwealth Property Disposal Policy when considering an off-market sale of Commonwealth Land, a government spokesperson said.

That process, EPSDD advised in September 2022, could be completed in several months.

But more than a year after the process began, the land blocks have still not been degazetted, and farmers are becoming desperate.

“At the time, were given a nine-month time frame which has now well and truly passed,” Mr Keir said. “I wonder when 99-year leases come up in Red Hill, for example, whether those families will be as patient as we have been to get their leases renewed.

“The main concern now is the lack of communication from government as to how the 25-year leases are progressing as no one, including Mr Barr, the old minister Mr Gentleman, and the new [planning] minister Mr [Chris] Steel will meet with us to relieve the stress that it is causing us all.

“Imagine you have a family farm and home which you have owned for more than 25 years, where your children all grew up on and you have worked producing livestock, you are too frightened to invest anymore in, your bank won’t lend you any money against, and you can’t sell – well, that is us!”

On Thursday, the Canberra Liberals announced that they would support Majura Valley farmers in their “long-running battle for lease certainty”.

“Rural leaseholders in the ACT have been disrespected by Labor and the Greens at every possible opportunity, and real people are being affected by the inaction and radio silence of the ACT Labor-Greens government and Federal Labor government,” Leanne Castley, Deputy Opposition Leader and Shadow Business Minister, said.

An ACT Government spokesperson noted that Mr Steel had met with some of the affected farmers, and was working to support them through the process.

However, the spokesperson could not say when the land would be degazetted.

“The Department of Defence and the Department of Finance are the approving authority for off-market sales,” the spokesperson said. “No lease offer can be made until the land has been degazetted.

“The ACT Government is awaiting further information from the Commonwealth Government, and is not able to provide any further update at this time.”

A spokesperson from the Department of Defence confirmed that it was considering the ACT Government’s proposal for the sale of the Majura split blocks.

Defence has reportedly held preliminary discussions with Department of Finance representatives to discuss the process and the appropriate timing of the proposed revocation.

Ms Castley said the ACT Government had treated the farmers poorly.

“One farmer is facing imminent foreclosure unless the Planning Minister [Chris Steel] upholds his predecessor’s promise to offer 25-year leases with no withdrawal provision,” Ms Castley said.

“The Canberra Liberals understand that the Majura Valley farms contribute considerable benefits to the ACT’s economy and ecology through agriculture, agri-tourism and land management.

“This government continues to refuse to respond to the Majura Valley farmers who have made repeated requests for clarification.

“Andrew Barr and Senator Gallagher should hang their heads in shame over their continued abandonment of these farmers.”

Peter Cain, Shadow Planning Minister, called on the government to renew urgently the relevant rural leases, and so protect rural Territorians and open rural green space for Canberra’s Bush Capital.

“The new Planning Minister needs to do the right thing here and take immediate action in engaging with his Federal Labor counterparts,” Mr Cain said.

“The Majura Valley farms contribute greatly to the Bush Capital character of Canberra and provide a valuable rural buffer to our urban areas, but they will need certainty to continue.

“Since 2005, the ACT Labor-Greens government has left these rural leaseholders in the lurch with the possibility of removal from their homes with just 90 days’ notice.

“If even one farmer experiences foreclosure due to the uncertainty created by this situation, it will represent a significant failure of public administration from ACT Labor at both the Territory and Federal levels.

“Labor and the Greens are not being fair to the leaseholders of Majura Valley by keeping them in perpetual limbo, and unfortunately time is running out for some.”