latest report<\/a>, released on September 22, showed that in 2015-2016, 395,000ha of bushland were cleared in Queensland, up one-third on the previous year; 138,000ha was remnant vegetation.<\/strong><\/p>\nHowever, Mr Perrett said the Labor Party had bumped up the figures over land clearing by including practices such as “fodder harvesting to feed starving livestock, and clearing firebreaks and fence lines”.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was no consideration of vegetation thickening rates or acknowledgement that farmers are already unable to clear remnant vegetation,” he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot considering thickening rates is like watching the tide go out and then claiming the sea water has disappeared.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Perrett said he was not aware of any broad-scale clearing in the Gympie region.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a landholder and grazier my observation is that it is thickening faster than it can be controlled in areas that have previously been cleared, or had absolutely no history of clearing,\u201d Mr Perrett said.<\/p>\n
\u201cLiving in their inner-city concrete jungles you just have to wonder whether the Ministers and green activists understand the concept that plants and vegetation actually regenerate.<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cIf they do know that, then this is nothing more than a deliberate, manipulative and calculatingly dishonest attack in a relentless campaign against regional Queensland.<\/p>\n
\u201cSelectively using data and ignoring the gaping holes in the SLATS report, which did not contain data that provides clear context to the extent of vegetation management activities, was just too convenient for the Minsters who rely on green preferences for their seats.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout 50 per cent of Queensland is covered by woody vegetation, so the vegetation management activities in this SLATS report represents just 0.23 per cent of the State.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you just consider the area of Queensland covered by woody vegetation, the total management footprint represents about 0.45 per cent of that area \u2013 which is still less than 1 per cent.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is only just over 12 months ago that the LNP was able to secure a reprieve for landholders and farmers by rejecting the Government\u2019s draconian vegetation management laws which would have undermined and gutted our strong agricultural sector.”<\/p>\n
An attempt by the State Government to toughen land-clearing laws failed in August 2016 when cross-benchers – including two Katter’s Australia Party MPs – sided with the Opposition.<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cAs Deputy Chair of the committee which investigated that legislation I said then that the Deputy Premier will not stop driving the green activists\u2019 agenda in Cabinet,” Mr Perrett said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are determined to do anything to get what they want even if it reduces the productivity of the agricultural sector and threaten jobs in regional Queensland.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet there be no misunderstanding this Labor Government and any future Labor Governments will keep revisiting this issue until they succeed.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cThe government is more interested in paying lip service to supporting the regions with the Premier turning a blind eye to the activities of her left-wing Cabinet colleagues because she needs to win seats in the city to save her own job.<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cThe LNP laws were sensible and balanced and allowed farmers and graziers to get on with the important jobs of producing our food and fibre, and protecting Queensland\u2019s precious environment.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnder our laws landholders need a permit to manage vegetation and have to abide by a code of conduct to undertake routine management procedures.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s is not open slather that Labor lies about.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe distortion of facts by the two Ministers makes it very clear that they will always, always throw farmers under the bus to win an election and protect their own jobs.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs true environmentalists and responsible custodians of the land it just makes economic sense for farmers to sustainably manage their land.”<\/p>\n
![\"Tony](\"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/tony-perrett-200.jpg\" "\\"tony-perrett-200\\"")
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