Final instalment of vege laws series
OVER the past month, the Rural Weekly has taken a look into Queensland’s tightened vegetation management laws which were amended in May last year.
Farmers across the state were outraged by the amendments due to the impact they believed the laws would have on their landscapes, their ability to feed cattle during the drought, and the effectiveness of managing bushfires.
For the final instalment of the series, the Rural Weekly contacted the State Government, and the Opposition, to find out what they had to say about the laws and what had been revealed over the last four weeks.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Minister for Natural Resources, Anthony Lynham, both did not respond.
However, LNP Shadow Minister for Natural Resources, Dale Last, described the current vegetation management laws as “a kick in the guts for our hard-working farmers who put food on our table”.
“To make matters worse
Annastacia Palaszczuk’s consultation process for the new laws was a complete sham,” Mr Last said.
“Farmers were completely ignored highlighting the arrogance of Labor’s approach.
“Not a single recommendation from the committee was accepted and landholders’ concerns were arrogantly disregarded.
“The fake consultation process was a disgrace and made a mockery of our Parliamentary Committee process.”
In the third part of the vegetation management laws series, Rural Weekly heard from Dr Bill Burrows and Dr Ian Beale, who said the laws were not based on existing science.
Mr Last said the LNP would get the balance right, if in power, with proper consultation based on science, not politics, similar to the assessment done in NSW.
“We heard time and time again from experts during this process that Labor’s laws weren’t based on science. Instead they were based on ideology and it was clear these laws were more about Labor buying Green votes in Brisbane than improved vegetation management practices,” he said.
“The Liberal National Party want to see science put back into the discussion around how our vegetation laws should look like in this state.
“We want a de-politicised independent assessment of clearing and regrowth in Queensland as well as proper consultation with both farming and environmental groups to get the balance right.”