Unelected Brisbane-based bureaucrats could have the power to shut down critical mining and farming projects, under secret legislation drafted by the Queensland Environment Department.
As reported in The Australian on Tuesday, state government bureaucrats, like the department's director-general, could wind back existing environmental approvals, licences, and permits to cut production capacity.
If passed in the original form, the legislation could threaten Queensland's $90bn resources and $14.5bn agriculture industries, as well as aquaculture and other sectors.
There is a concern it would also increase the amount of red tape involved in new environmental approvals, such as environmental impact statements.
Shadow Minister for Agriculture and LNP's member for Gympie, Tony Perrett, questioned the Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, in parliament on Monday and asked if the secret changes to the environment legislation meant farmers would be forced to cut the number of livestock they had.
The Premier responded with "Yes, I am still shocked by those revelations today about the former Prime Minister".
The state government is yet to make a decision about the final contents or introduction of any amendments to the bill.
But Mr Perrett said industry stakeholders were forced to sign an unprecedented confidentiality deed to view the draft legislation.
"This proposed legislation is a huge threat to our agriculture and mining industries," he said.
"Let's be clear: the government's secret plan will force farmers to cut the number of livestock they own. It will see the government dictate what graziers and landholders can do with their land.
"It will wreak havoc on our rural and regional communities, and will drive up the cost of living through the high cost of beef."
Mr Perrett alleged the draft legislation had "the fingerprints" of former Wilderness Society campaigner, Tim Seelig.
Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon argued Mr Perrett was scaremongering farmers and the community he's supposed to represent.
"To be clear, no decision has been made by government about the final contents or introduction of any amendments to this bill," she said.
"The department has been engaging extensively with stakeholders for over a year, even extending the consultation period.
"DES is not considering any amendments to legislation that would apply retrospectively.
"AgForce itself has said the consultation process to-date has been appropriate, provided contributors with a feeling of safety and done for the right reasons.
"Any amendments will also have to go through a consultation process via the parliamentary committee system - something that the LNP bypassed when they were in government."
Deputy Director of the Institute of Public Affairs, Daniel Wild, said the secret plot dramatically increased sovereign risk, and demonstrated Queensland's future under net zero.
"The power to shut down projects which are critical to the future of regional Australia should not be granted to any bureaucrat, let alone those with a history of green group activism," he said.
"Regional Queenslanders are doing all the heavy lifting for the state economy, yet time and again come under attack by out-of-touch Brisbane-based bureaucrats."
Helen Walker
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
