FARMERS and members of communities that rely on agriculture are being urged to have their say on the Palaszczuk government’s proposed changes to vegetation management laws.
Submissions to the State Development, Natural Resources and Agricultural Industries Development Committee on the legislation close at noon on Thursday, March 24.
Queensland Farmers’ Federation president Stuart Armitage encouraged farmers and members of the public to take the opportunity to have their positions heard and make a submission.
“Given the tight timeframe to get submissions in, people need to act now to ensure their views are captured by noon on Thursday,” Mr Armitage said.
“Those affected should also register to appear as a witness for the committee’s regional public hearings. Only by hearing directly from those Queenslanders adversely affected by these laws can the committee better understand the truth behind this politically vexed and toxic issue.
“It is essential that the committee listen to and consider the positions of those living in rural and regional Queensland. A failure to properly do this will only fuel the already politicised city-country divide.
“If the committee is fair dinkum, it will make recommendations to the parliament that take into account the genuine concerns of the farming community to deliver the workable vegetation management laws farmers, regional communities and the environment deserve. If not, we will be back discussing this again in a couple of years’ time.”
Mr Armitage said QFF had always, and continues to, advocate for a sensible vegetation management framework that properly addressed environmental, social and economic sustainability and provided much needed certainty.
“Farmers, regional communities and the environment deserve stable, workable vegetation management laws. The proposed changes to the framework will not deliver this,” Mr Armitage said.
Written submissions to the parliamentary inquiry are due at noon this Thursday. Regional hearings will be held in Rockhampton and Townsville on March 27, Cloncurry on March 28, Longreach and Charleville on March 29, and Cairns on April 13.
CLICK HERE for more details, including how to register to be a witness at the regional hearings.