At the recent Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) Conference the link between communities and agriculture was once again a topic of discussion. It was heartening to see that most of the agriculture related motions recognised that the success of our sector is often intrinsically linked with the fortunes and outcomes of many rural and regional Queensland communities.
LGAQ agreed to lobby the state and federal governments to stop their continued Murray Darling Basin Plan water buy-backs in Queensland’s south west. The Balonne Shire Council’s motion agreed in principle with the current ‘More than Flow’ campaign that Queensland Farmers Federation (QFF) has been involved with and called for the exploration of complementary measures. QFF supports LGAQ on its sensible acknowledgement that a reduction in local irrigation and agriculture will have significant negative social implications for the South West.
QFF commends the LGAQ for passing a motion that will ask the state government to deliver upon its promised consultative procedure to properly consult with all relevant stakeholders on any future changes to the state’s vegetation management legislation. QFF continually called on both sides of this politicised debate to engage in constructive, evidence based discussions to realise a sensible, sustainable vegetation management framework that delivers good outcomes for the environment, regional communities and the agricultural sector.
It was however disappointing that LGAQ supported the Scenic Rim Regional Council’s motion that targets local chicken meat farmers. Under this this motion, LGAQ will lobby the state government for changes to odour modelling assessment criteria. Combined with rises to differential rates and infrastructure charges to existing and future poultry farms in the region, QFF considers the Scenic Rim Council’s stance to be unfair and unsustainable. The chicken meat industry is worth 30 per cent of all agricultural value in the Scenic Rim ($50 million per annum) and is responsible for 500 direct and indirect jobs. QFF and industry member Queensland Chicken Growers Association (QCGA) look forward to working LGAQ and the state government to ensure that mutual community / industry benefit can be realised in Scenic Rim.
