19Jun 2020 by Stephen Dummett
Beef land versus gold: Which is the better investment?

Beef land versus gold: Which is the better investment?

Articles & Publications, Opinion Pieces
By Ian McLean Comparison of price of gold and rural land in Australian dollars (real) It would appear to us that agricultural land has some key characteristics in common with gold. The main ones being; It is a finite resource and is valuable, primarily, as a result of scarcity.Typically, both have very low yields (zero or less in the case of gold). The first of these characteristics, combined with an uncertain global economic outlook, has contributed to an increase in the prices paid for agricultural land in Australia. This has been a double-edged sword; the upside is that it has increased the wealth of those who own land; the downside is that, with no corresponding increase in profits, it reduces the returns on capital. Analysis of historical data indicates that…
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08May 2017 by Ian Mclean No Comments
Tax Time Considerations

Tax Time Considerations

Articles & Publications, Opinion Pieces
This article was first published on Beef Central on 8th May 2017 In times of good profits, investments in the business to improve future performance and reduce risk should be considered. The tax deductibility of the investment however should be secondary to whether it is a good investment in its own right. A cost benefit analysis should be undertaken to compare what the investments return, in total and relative to the amount invested and over what time frame. If the investment doesn’t stack up then reducing debt or provisioning for succession or retirement will be a better use of funds, regardless of the tax implications. You can buy a load of fencing gear and fill the bowsers up, but often this just means that once you do it, you have to…
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