Landholders to pay $3130 application fee under interim development vegetation clearing codes

If the new vegetation management bill is passed, the Palaszczuk government intends to withdraw the code for managing thickened vegetation and instead graziers will need to seek a development approval under the Planning Act with applications costing $3130. 

A Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy spokesperson confirmed that under the interim codes, any thinning notification made prior to March 8 are now invalid. 

“Landholders will need to lodge a new notification and follow the requirements of the new code,” the spokesperson said. 

Additional information provided by the Department said managing thickened vegetation would no longer be an acceptable development and any proposed management of thickened vegetation under the interim code must have been notified and completed before the Bill is passed.

Roma grazier Bill Purcell was shocked to learn of the changes after visiting a Department office last Monday. 

He submitted two thinning applications prior to the recent legislative changes and was assured they wouldn’t be changed. 

But, that wasn’t the case and he will now have to seek a development approval and pay the $3130. 

“I think it’s highway robbery,” he told AgForce.

“As far as I know there is no problem getting a permit as long as you can pay the price.”

Mitchell grazier Robyn Bryant was among the 16 speakers at the Charleville hearing and spoke of the impact the additional cost of a development permit would have on her family’s property, Cunnyana.

Ms Bryant and her husband Greg have been using thinning management to keep their property sustainable for their young children in the future.

She said the five metre buffer zone would make it impossible to use their most cost effective option of mechanically thinning.

“This ultimately renders one third of our property useless - reducing our asset value by well over $1 million, a cost that we can not carry long term,” she said. 

“Bringing back the tree police and tripling the fine may give the government more confidence in the system, however, it just indicates a lack of respect for the majority of landholders.”