Thank-you Agforce for this statement today:
PEAK agriculture advocacy group AgForce Queensland has condemned Labor plans to reintroduce cumbersome, costly and unnecessary vegetation management legislation should it be elected to state government on 31 January, as announced by party leader Annastacia Palaszczuk earlier today.
In 2013, key reforms to the Vegetation Management Act were introduced by the Newman Government to provide freedom to landholders to conduct low-risk essential farm activities, such as fencing and weed control, without sacrificing environmental health.
AgForce Queensland General President, Grant Maudsley, said to repeal these amendments would be to force unnecessary and burdensome administrative and regulatory requirements on landholders in the day-to-day management of their properties for no environmental gain.
“The changes to the Act sought to address issues including lengthy waiting periods of up to nine years for simple approvals allowing activities such as fence clearing and weed control, both normal, day-to-day components of responsible farm management,” Mr Maudsley said.
“It should also be clearly noted these changes were made only after Queensland’s independent Competition Authority undertook a comprehensive assessment which recommended the old legislation was so cumbersome it should be scrapped.
“The ensuing report from the QCA was followed by a parliamentary inquiry in which the majority of submitters also agreed the old laws needed to be changed.
“Today’s announcement from the ALP shows just how out of touch the party is both in terms of promoting a prosperous agriculture industry and what is required to protect the health of our environment.”
Mr Maudsley said the current framework had been operational for more than a year with no evidence to suggest environmental health was at risk.
“As primary producers who rely on the health of our land for our livelihoods we would be the first to express concern should we think environmental standards were being compromised,” he said.
“From our perspective, Ms Palaszczuk’s announcement today is an attempt to create hype and hysteria around non-issues.
“This is particularly disappointing given the agricultural sector is yet to hear any policy in this campaign which addresses concerns surrounding the future profitability of the industry and what role government will play in assisting primary producers through the current drought.”
