DROVERS and producers have been left hanging with a state government stock network review report delayed until the end of 2020.
The Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy has been working on a draft strategy into Queensland stock route network management, which was due for release earlier this year following consultation with local government, AgForce and drovers. Instead, a DNRME spokesperson said the final stakeholder consultation was currently taking place, with the new Stock Route Network Management Strategy to be released in the final quarter of 2020.
One of the biggest users of the stock route is boss drover Bill Little.
Mr Little attended consultation meetings last year in Longreach and said he hadn't heard from DNRME since last October when he and fellow drover Tony Purcell invited themselves to Brisbane meetings.
"I haven't heard a word and at the end of the day it comes down to greed, as they only want to put the rates up for drovers with travelling stock," Mr Little said.
"We only use about 10 per cent of the network, while those producers who are at the front of the stock route use it for nothing."
LNP natural resources spokesman Dale Last said Labor's stock route management bill had been gathering dust since 2016 when it was roundly criticised by the parliamentary committee.
Mr Little agreed, saying it was knocked back twice in parliament and not passed as the minister didn't want to get involved.
Mr Last said the state needed a modern stock plan that doesn't unnecessarily burden councils and users, and it was clear managing stock routes in Queensland had been put into the "too hard" basket by the Labor government.