THE parliamentary committee charged with scrutinising proposed changes to the management of Queensland’s stock route network has unanimously recommended that the bill not be passed in its current form.
Natural Resources opposition spokesman Andrew Cripps said the Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources Committee - made up of Labor, LNP and crossbench MPs - had unanimously agreed that the bill was unfit to proceed through the Queensland Parliament.
“This is a major embarrassment for (Natural Resources minister) Anthony Lynham, who claimed when he introduced the bill that it was the result of a decade of consultation with key network users and stakeholders,” Mr Cripps said.
“It’s extremely rare to see all MPs on a parliamentary committee - across the political spectrum - agree unanimously that a bill should not be passed.
“The Committee concluded the consultation process had been inadequate and insufficient information had been presented, which is amazing given how long the State Government has been talking about modernising the management of the stock route network.
“I call on Minister Lynham to withdraw this flawed and inadequate bill and set up a proper consultation process involving representatives of AgForce and local councils that actually use stock routes that can formulate a modern and practical management framework.
“Anthony Lynham must accept this feedback and withdraw the Bill until proper consultation can take place.”
AgForce Cattle director Peter Hall said the committee report had picked up on many of AgForce’s key points, in particular the need for a better framework to ensure stocks routes are managed properly now and into the future.
The Queensland Government must focus on developing a practical, workable and well-funded management framework for the state’s 2.6 million-hectare stock route network rather than pushing ahead with flawed laws, AgForce said today.
The call comes after a bi-partisan Parliamentary committee unanimously recommended proposed stock route laws not be passed until a State Management Plan and regulations were consulted on and developed, including a regulatory impact statement.
AgForce Cattle director Peter Hall welcomed the committee’s report, urging the Government to redouble its efforts to develop a better framework that ensured stock routes were properly managed.
“The stock route network has been plagued for decades by issues such as overgrazing by producers, unmanaged weed infestations and an inadequate fee structure that meant infrastructure such as watering points were not maintained or renewed,” Mr Hall said.
“AgForce supports councils having responsibility for managing the stock route network and we support all funds raised being delivered back to local government for investment in the network.
“However, as the committee found during their hearings about the proposed laws, there was concern about how this handover of responsibilities would happen and whether the stock route network would be adequately funded.”
Mr Hall said AgForce had also consistently maintained it could not support the laws until seeing a copy of the associated regulations and the stock route management plan.
“Let me make it clear, we don’t want to shut the door on stock route reform, it’s long overdue,” Mr Hall said.
“The committee process has outlined the many reasons why we need to maintain the stock route network for travelling stock during a drought or a short-term supply of feed in good times.
“Efforts to reform the stock route network must not stall now. AgForce stands ready, willing and able to work cooperatively with all the stakeholders from all levels of government and all political parties to ensure we have a well-maintained stock route network that can be called upon in decades to come.”
Committee deputy chair Ann Leahy (LNP Warrego) said the Committee had heard widespread concerns about the stock routes Bill from a range of stakeholders during committee hearings held in Brisbane, Boulia, Longreach and Emerald.
“Despite a decade of consultation between the State Government and stakeholders about the need for reform of Queensland’s stock routes’ management framework, the proposed changes were missing critical supporting analysis and information,” Ms Leahy said.
“What industry needed to see was a draft state-wide stock routes’ management plan, draft regulations to support the legislation and an updated Regulatory Impact Statement, so the real costs and responsibilities of all parties could be understood.”
