CONCERNED landholders will meet in Gympie, Toogoolawah and Kingaroy this week to discuss how the Palaszczuk Government's controversial proposed changes to the Vegetation Management Act may impact on their farm businesses.
Gympie MP, Tony Perrett, and Nanango MP, Deb Frecklington, have organised information forums in Gympie, Toogoolawah and Kingaroy, to enable landowners to learn more about Labor's aggressive amendments to the vegetation management framework.
Meetings will be held tomorrow (Wednesday) at 10am in Gympie Civic Centre and at 3pm in Alexandra Hall, Toogoolawah. A third meeting will be held on Thursday at 9am in Kingaroy Town Common Hall.
Opposition natural resources spokesperson Andrew Cripps is speaking at each of the three meetings.
"Right across the Wide Bay region, landholders are reporting the new restrictions on their properties being greater than under the previous Bligh Labor Government - in particular regrowth being reclassified as remnant vegetation and Category R vegetation being regulated for the first time," Mr Perrett said.
Ms Frecklington, who is also the Opposition’s agriculture spokesperson, said the current vegetation management framework put in place by the former LNP Government in 2013 provided opportunities for Queensland's agriculture to grow and she strongly believe that it should stay in place.
"The LNP is committed to defending high value agriculture approvals, securing regrowth vegetation for freehold property owners and treating landholders with fairness," Mrs Frecklington said.
“This is a critical issue for farmers across Queensland, including farmers in my electorate of Nanango.”
Mr Cripps said given the Palaszczuk Government's proposed legislation was retrospective and sought to reinstate the reversal of the onus of proof, the LNP would fight hard to prevent farmers and landholders being treated like criminals.
"Queensland farmers and landowners need certainty to be able to plan for the future, just like any other industry and while Labor's proposed amendments certainly put significant roadblocks in front of agriculture," Mr Cripps said.
He said Labor's Vegetation Management (Reinstatement) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill had been introduced without any consultation or compensation.
“I am also worried about the accuracy of new maps being issued based on the proposed amendments,” he said.
