Anger and frustration at the Palaszczuk Government and the Shorten Opposition’s plans to introduce tougher vegetation management restrictions is growing by the day.
I’ve been talking to a lot of primary producers across Queensland about vegetation management and it’s clear they are fed up with the constant changes and fed up with the issue being used as a political football.
Even people who aren’t affected by these laws are angry with the way farmers are being treated.
I want to thank all those who took the time to attend and speak at the Agriculture and Environment Committee’s public hearings in Townsville, Cairns and Emerald last week. The fact there were many people who drove for hours to give evidence for five minutes shows the depth of concern there is about these ill-conceived new laws.
The loss of economic development opportunities, wildly inaccurate mapping and the fact these laws make farmers guilty until they prove their innocence were raised as key issues over and over again by groups and individuals giving evidence at the hearings.
Next week hearings will be held in Bundaberg, Gympie, Charleville, Roma and Brisbane, and I encourage primary producers to get along to listen to the evidence presented and to contact the committee if you want to have a say.
AgForce members had a strong presence at last week’s hearings and I will vigorous argue our case against the laws when we give evidence at the Brisbane hearings next week.
Now is the time to tell your story to the committee and to get in the ear of your local Labor MP or candidate to tell them how you feel about their plans to introduce tougher vegetation management restrictions.
Queensland agriculture has the potential to grow from $17 billion to $30 billion in a decade. But to grow, we need sensible land management laws. The current approach just means less jobs, fewer opportunities and economic marginalisation in our regions.
If the Palaszczuk Government and Shorten Opposition have their way, more of Queensland’s vegetation will be tied up for regulation and unable for agricultural land use expansion or to provide any environmental service with reward. That’s not good for our agricultural industry, and that’s not good for Queensland.
