Liz O’Leary’s Cubbie stand featured in AgJournal November issue

As the head of Macquarie Bank’s agriculture division, Ms O’Leary is now the nation’s biggest grain grower. Her story is featured in the forthcoming issue of AgJournal.

online artwork november 20 ag journal

LIZ O’Leary may not be household name, but she is a powerhouse of Australian agriculture.

As the head of Macquarie Bank’s agriculture division, Ms O’Leary is now the nation’s biggest grain grower.

But it is Macquarie’s 49 per cent ownership of Australia’s biggest cotton farm, Cubbie Station, that is starting to bring attention to Ms O’Leary.

Macquarie took the stake in August after the Chinese majority owner, Shandong Ruyi, was forced by the Federal Government to drop its ownership to 51 per cent.

As part of the deal, Ms O’Leary insisted Cubbie must return some water to the Darling River headwaters during drought. Cubbie has long drawn criticism that its water usage is severely depleting downstream supplies.

“I’m proud to own the Cubbie deal,” O’Leary told AgJournal, which is free in The Weekly Times this week.

“A lot of people warned me off getting involved with Cubbie Station but it is one of Australia’s premiere agricultural assets, which fits in well with both our investment portfolio and our vision.”

AgJournal also looks at the 20 issues that will dominate the next decade, new protein developments, carbon farming and big property movements.

•AgJournal November issue, available from this Wednesday online at agjournal.com.au and in the digital magazine replica, and in the printed magazine, free with The Weekly Times out this Wednesday.