Vegetation management reforms deliver major savings

Landholders have been saved up to 86 years in productive time and almost $200,000 thanks to the Newman Government’s self-assessable vegetation management codes, according to the latest quarterly update released this week.

Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Andrew Cripps said since the codes were introduced in December 2013, the Department of Natural Resources and Mines had received more than 500 notifications, saving landholders time and the fees it previously collected under the former Labor government.

“The Newman Government committed at the 2012 election to support and grow agriculture as one of Queensland’s four economic pillars,” Mr Cripps said.

“We are delivering on our promise to cut red tape and regulation, making it easier to do business in Queensland.

“The Department of Natural Resources and Mines has received 519 notifications from 298 individual landholders since December 2.

“In the past, these landholders would have had to wait for a development approval, which could take up to two months to process, before they could carry out routine maintenance activities on their properties.

“This totals up to 1038 calendar months – or 86.5 years – in effort, time and opportunity that would have been lost under the unnecessary and restrictive framework imposed by the former Labor Government.

“Landholders are now no longer limited to the previous five year permit life, with the new self-assessable notifications lasting as long as the landholders owns the land.

“This delivers cost savings of $650 per landholders for each five year period, a total saving of around $194,000 by landholders so far.”

AgForce General President Ian Burnett said the new self-assessable codes were a game-changer.

“We are looking forward to working with the Department to ensure everyone is aware of these benefits and to contributing to the formulation of the yet to be finalised codes which are currently under development,” Mr Burnett said.

“Furthermore, we are enthusiastic to see further securities for landholders within the self-assessable codes process, along with new opportunities for development to help Queensland achieve the goal of doubling the value of agricultural production by 2040.”

Mr Cripps said landholders and industry had direct input into developing the codes and had the opportunity to attend a number of field days across the state.

“These are common sense changes that protect the environment while reducing costs and increasing productive time for landholders, an important balance that didn’t exist under the previous Labor Government,” he said.

“Officers from the Department will continue to engage with landholders to fine tune the reforms.

“These laws do not allow for indiscriminate clearing of vegetation and the Department will continue to monitor vegetation management activities across Queensland, with penalties for those who do the wrong thing.”

More information on the Queensland Government’s vegetation management reforms and self-assessable codes is available at www.dnrm.qld.gov.au/land/vegetation-management or by phoning 13 QGOV (13 74 68) and asking to speak with a regional vegetation management officer.

[ENDS] 8 May 2014

Media contact:  Kate Haddan 0418 373 516 or Eleisha Rogers 0413 375 088