LANDHOLDERS ASKED FOR FEEDBACK ON HOW VEGETATION MANAGEMENT ACT IS WORKING

The Queensland Government is asking landholders and other interested people for their views on the administration of the Vegetation Management Act as part of a review of the three-year-old legislation.

Minister for Natural Resources and Water Craig Wallace today announced that the review, which delivers on one of the government’s Blueprint for the Bush commitments, was under way.

The first phase of the review will involve a survey by an independent consultant, Lloyd Consulting.

Beginning this week, it will be distributed to a wide range of landholders, developers, local governments and conservation group members through peak organisations.

“The review will investigate if the Vegetation Management Act is clear to people,” Mr Wallace said.

“It also will help the department to streamline its processes, including vegetation clearing applications.

“I want to ensure that, as far as the law allows, the Department of Natural Resources and Water is helping people to do things not telling them why they can’t be done,” Mr Wallace said.

“We want to provide a more efficient service that is more customer focussed,” he said.

The Vegetation Management Act itself is outside the scope of the review.

The survey was developed in conjunction with a reference group comprising members from AgForce, the Queensland Farmers’ Federation, Local Government Association of Queensland, Urban Development Institute and Queensland Conservation Council.

Survey questions include:

·What aspects of the Vegetation Management Act (VMA) have worked most effectively?

·What aspects of the VMA have worked least effectively?

·Please rank the following implementation areas in terms of your level of concern about them: –

1.regional ecosystem mapping and map modifications,

2.applications and approvals processing,

3.compliance and enforcement,

4.financial assistance applications and approvals processing,

5.interactions with vegetation management assessment officers,

6.liaison with vegetation management staff in other areas, and

7.effectiveness of VM tools in achieving the purpose of the VMA.

·How would you rate your overall involvement with the VMA?

Mr Wallace encouraged people to complete the survey form.

“We need to understand how the Act is operating now, and the ways in which we can serve you better,” he said.

The survey was an important part of the review, but a range of other activities, including telephone interviews and discussions with focus groups, will also be employed.

People can also complete the survey online at http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB2272FNHPA8A.

Blueprint for the Bush is a partnership between the Queensland Government, AgForce Queensland and the Local Government Association of Queensland.

Media inquiries: Paul Childs, Craig Wallace’s office, on 0407 131 654.