THE Palaszczuk government has rejected two right to information applications submitted by farm group AgForce relating to the decision making process around proposed controversial new vegetation management laws.
AgForce chief executive officer Michael Guerin said the Palaszczuk government was continuing to treat farmers with contempt by refusing to release documents relating to the decision making process.
“These proposed changes will have a fundamental impact on how we produce food and fibre, yet farmers were kept in the dark until the day the laws were dropped on us like a bomb in the Queensland Parliament,” Mr Guerin said.
“Queenslanders have a right to know what advice ministers received, who they were meeting with and why they failed to conduct modelling on the economic and social impacts of these flawed laws.
“Where is the openness and transparency the Premier promised?
“Enough is enough. Let’s all work together on a long-lasting solution that delivers good outcomes for the environment and agriculture without strangling farmers in red tape.”
Queenslanders have a right to know what advice ministers received, who they were meeting with and why they failed to conduct modelling on the economic and social impacts of these flawed laws.
- Mike Guerin, CEO AgForce
AgForce submitted two right to information applications for access to documents relating to briefings of both the Environment Minister and the Natural Resources Minister on vegetation management including its regulation, related scientific information and any socio-economic impact modelling going back to late 2015.
The Queensland Government refused the applications on the basis it would take them too long to process with about 5600 pages of documents identified by the Department of Environment and Science and more than 3820 pages identified by the Department of Natural Resources.
LNP Member for Gregory, Lachlan Millar, said given the importance of the legislation, the freedom of information applications needed to be processed.
“What do they have to hide,” Mr Millar said. “Labor says it’s all about transparency but this refusal to provide this important information shows a total disregard to farmers and graziers impacted by this flawed legislation.
“It seem we’re gone back the bad old days of the Beattie/Blight era when demonising farmers was all part of Labor’s green agenda.”
Mr Guerin said AgForce was still waiting the results of four addition right to information applications relating to the Palaszczuk government’s vegetation management decision making process.