Agriculture to benefit from vegetation management reforms
Published Thursday, 05 December, 2013 at 02:00 PM
Minister for Natural Resources and Mines
The Honourable Andrew Cripps
Landholders will benefit from reforms to vegetation management laws by the Newman Government, allowing them to conduct routine vegetation management activities on their properties without being tied up in red tape.
Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Andrew Cripps said the new laws would streamline the vegetation management framework, while maintaining appropriate environmental standards and boosting agricultural productivity.
“These new common sense laws represent the most significant reforms affecting the rural sector in decades and I'm very proud the Newman Government is delivering these outcomes for regional Queensland" Mr Cripps said.
“The former Labor Government tied up the agriculture industry with red tape, making it almost impossible for landholders to complete basic property management tasks without permission from state government agencies.
“The key component of the new legislation is the development of nine new self-assessable codes for landholders to use for a range of routine activities on rural properties.”
Mr Cripps said the changes would create flexible, regionally-based vegetation management approval systems that reduced costs and inconvenience for landholders.
“These new laws do not allow for the indiscriminate clearing of vegetation and we will continue to monitor vegetation management activities across Queensland,” he said.
“However, the nine new self-assessable codes give landholders more flexibility, including the ability to harvest fodder for stock.
“Grazing land lost to invasive vegetation, or thickened woodlands, can be brought back into useful production for grazing or cropping and the efficient control of pest weeds.
“Vegetation can also be removed where it prevents the efficient use of irrigation or harvesting, impacts on the effectiveness of water courses, or poses a threat to infrastructure.
“If a landholder wishes to complete work under the new self-assessable codes, they simply need to give advance notification to DNRM.”
Mr Cripps said he was also excited that under the new vegetation management framework, where a landholder could demonstrate they meet the criteria, they would be able to apply for an exemption for high-value agriculture and irrigated high-value agriculture.
“This will support opportunities for new agricultural precincts and the growth of existing rural businesses to support the Newman Government's Agriculture Strategy,” he said.
“Landholders can't clear for plantation forestry or for grazing activities, unless it is associated with irrigated high-value agriculture such as dairy farming.
“These new reforms mean landholders can get on with the job of providing food and fibre for Queensland, domestic and international markets without being hindered by red tape."
[ENDS] 5 December 2013
Media contact: Eleisha Rogers 0413 375 088