Vegetation management reforms hit the road

A Queensland-wide road show starting next Monday will give landholders the latest information about the Newman Government's vegetation management reforms.

Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Andrew Cripps said the series of public information sessions would provide landholders with a comprehensive understanding of the vegetation management reforms that will come into effect on 2 December 2013.

“The Newman Government is building a four pillar economy, with the new vegetation management reforms helping to strengthen the important agriculture pillar,” Mr Cripps said.

“Under Labor, landholders were hindered by unnecessary red-tape and duplicated legislation.

“We will establish an era of sustainable agricultural production in Queensland with the introduction of a new streamlined vegetation management framework to boost agricultural productivity and opportunities, particularly in regional and rural areas.

“These new laws strike a balance between agricultural production and environmental protection, and represent the most significant reforms to legislation affecting the rural sector in decades.

“Upcoming public information sessions run by the Department of Natural Resources and Mines will provide landholders with advice on the new, flexible and regionally-based vegetation management approval systems and how they will reduce the cost and regulatory burden on landholders.

“The changes mean landholders can get on with the job of providing food and fibre for our domestic and international markets.

“The information sessions begin on 2 December in Townsville, Rockhampton, Mackay and Cairns and will continue right across the state into the new year.”

Mr Cripps said the reforms included three key initiatives: nine self-assessable codes, vegetation mapping changes and support for appropriate clearing for high-value and irrigated agriculture.

“The new self-assessable codes will enable farmers and graziers to undertake routine property management activities by simply notifying the Department of Natural Resources and Mines, rather than applying for a permit,” he said.

The nine new self-assessable codes are:

·        fodder harvesting
·        thinning of thickened vegetation
·        weed management
·        encroachment
·        property infrastructure
·        clearing of high-value regrowth, Category C
·        clearing of a regrowth watercourse area, Category R
·        clearing to improve the operational efficiency of existing agricultural developments, and
·        native Forest practice Code.

“Vegetation mapping has also been simplified through the creation of a state-wide regulated vegetation ‘base’ map, which clearly shows the areas of vegetation on their property that are assessable and non-assessable under the new vegetation laws.”

Mr Cripps stressed that the new laws did not allow for indiscriminate clearing of vegetation.

“The Department of Natural Resources and Mines will continue to monitor vegetation management activities across Queensland, with penalties applying to those who do the wrong thing,” he said.

Dates and locations for the vegetation management public information sessions are available at http://www.dnrm.qld.gov.au/land/vegetation-management/public-information-sessions

[ENDS] 27 November 2013

Media contact:           Eleisha Rogers 0413 375 088