{"id":302495,"date":"2021-07-16T12:35:31","date_gmt":"2021-07-16T02:35:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=302495"},"modified":"2021-07-16T14:29:52","modified_gmt":"2021-07-16T04:29:52","slug":"feedback-sought-on-stock-routes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2021\/07\/16\/feedback-sought-on-stock-routes\/","title":{"rendered":"Feedback Sought On Stock Routes"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Resources Minister Scott Stewart<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

July 16, 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n

The State Government is seeking feedback from farmers, councils and industry groups about proposed changes to the use and management of Queensland stock routes.<\/p>\n

Resources Minister Scott Stewart said consultation on the Stock Routes Network discussion paper has opened.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Queensland stock route network has a long history of supporting landholders in moving livestock, providing pasture for emergency agistment in times of drought, and long-term grazing,\u201d Mr Stewart said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe 72,000 km network is used to feed and move up to 330,000 stock each year across 48 local government areas.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe proposed changes outlined in the discussion paper aim to create a better funded stock route network that provides better outcomes for the drovers and farmers that rely on the network each year.<\/p>\n

\u201cQueensland\u2019s local councils are the primary caretakers of the network, ensuring routes in their areas are monitored and maintained.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis includes regularly checking water facilities, undertaking weed and pest control and upgrading facilities where needed.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo help maintain and upgrade the network, councils collect fees from network users, but currently this only represents about 4 per cent of the total funds they need to cover the costs.\u201d<\/p>\n

AgForce CEO Michael Guerin congratulated the State Government for its effort to bring the matter “to conclusion for the benefit of industry, communities and producers”.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He said he looked forward to working closely with the Minister and other stakeholders.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur aspiration is that we will soon see a functional, active route for travelling stock that serves Queensland for centuries to come,\u201d Mr Guerin said.<\/p>\n

Local Government Association of Queensland President Mark Jamieson also welcomed the release of the discussion paper.<\/p>\n

\u201cQueensland councils have been seeking stock route reform over several decades to ensure the future sustainability of the network, a critical resource for the State\u2019s agricultural sector,\u201d Mayor Jamieson said.<\/p>\n