July 12, 2016
The LNP Opposition says the State Government has refused to amend changes to Queensland’s vegetation management laws, despite protests from farmers and “a wave of angry objections from regional communities”.
Shadow Natural Resources Minister Andrew Cripps said the Agriculture and Environment Committee report had given the government an opportunity to abandon the proposals “but the government had dug its heel in to secure Greens preferences”.
“Despite travelling across Queensland and witnessing first-hand the responsible work of landholders, Labor committee members have put politics ahead of good policy outcomes,” Mr Cripps said.
“The committee report recommended the ‘reversal of the onus of proof’ provision be removed, which is a drop in the ocean compared to the damage these laws are set to inflict of the agriculture sector.
“However the committee failed to recommend the equally offensive provisions withdrawing ‘mistake of fact’ as an available defence and the retrospectivity to March 17, 2016 also be removed.
“The Palaszczuk Government is so beholden to the Greens, Labor MPs on the committee ignored all the evidence and instead handed down a series of bland recommendations asking for Ministers to provide further information to the House.”
Mr Cripps said Gympie MP Tony Perrett had highlighted the flaws in the Bill which had been exposed throughout the committee hearing.
“The LNP is working with AgForce Queensland and other rural lobby groups to make it clear to Labor that the former LNP Government’s common-sense changes to the vegetation framework, including high value agriculture permits and managing regrowth, must remain in place,” Mr Cripps said.
He encouraged Queenslanders concerned about the State Government’s proposed laws to “stand with farmers” and sign an E-petition which he had sponsored.
- External link: Vegetation Management E-petition
