{"id":154774,"date":"2016-08-16T18:25:16","date_gmt":"2016-08-16T08:25:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=154774"},"modified":"2020-10-07T13:52:54","modified_gmt":"2020-10-07T03:52:54","slug":"lawyers-blasts-unjust-land-clearing-laws","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2016\/08\/16\/lawyers-blasts-unjust-land-clearing-laws\/","title":{"rendered":"Lawyers Blast ‘Unjust’ Land Clearing Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Queensland Law Society president Bill Potts<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

August 16, 2016 <\/strong><\/p>\n

The Queensland Law Society has renewed its call for the state government to amend proposed tree clearing laws, saying the passage of laws would be a travesty of justice for the state\u2019s landholders.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, Society president Bill Potts said the Palaszczuk Government\u2019s planned changes of its Vegetation Management (Reinstatement) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2016 were unjustified and a step backwards for justice in the state.<\/p>\n

In particular, Mr Potts was critical of the Government’s plan to introduce a reverse onus of proof, making landholders guilty of any illegal tree clearing until they could prove themselves innocent.<\/p>\n

“That is akin to a person coming home to find a dead body in their backyard and being considered guilty of murder until they can prove themselves innocent,” Mr Potts said.<\/p>\n

Mr Potts said the Society acknowledged the need for laws protecting the environment, but not at the cost of legislated injustice.<\/p>\n

“Our state\u2019s natural beauty is one of its greatest assets, and it is our view that it can be protected without trampling the rights of citizens,” he said.<\/p>\n

“It isn’t too late for the government to properly consult with all stakeholders and come up with just and workable laws; rushing them through as they are now is a recipe for chaos.”<\/p>\n

The comments come as the Queensland Parliament is scheduled to debate the proposed law changes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

More than two months ago, Mr Potts addressed the Parliamentary Agriculture and Environment Committee in Brisbane to raise the QLS\u2019s concerns.<\/p>\n

At the time, Mr Potts likened the proposed changes to land clearing laws as being as unjust and comparable to the Newman Government\u2019s stance on anti-bikie laws.<\/p>\n

He said the proposed bill reversed the onus of proof to require landowners to prove their innocence, eliminated the defence of mistake, and applied the changes retrospectively.<\/p>\n

“The government\u2019s justification for these changes is, quite frankly, feeble and appears based on administrative convenience,” he said.<\/p>\n

Mr Potts said it was ironic the government was proposing such changes, given that the recent VLAD taskforce report criticised similar provisions in the bikie legislation.<\/p>\n

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