Queensland Government Environmental Offsets Policy
Published Tuesday, 01 July, 2008 at 02:33 PM
Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation
The Honourable Andrew McNamara
The Queensland Government has moved to ensure that environmental values aren’t lost as a result of development across the state.
The Queensland Government Environmental Offsets Policy, which takes effect from today, will assist the Government and the public to protect Queensland's environmental values.
Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew McNamara, said the policy is a milestone for Queensland environmental protection.
“It provides an overarching framework for the transparent and consistent use of environmental offsets,” Mr McNamara said.
“The policy will help achieve ecologically sustainable development to improve our quality of life now, and preserve the unique environmental values of Queensland for the future.
“Appropriate development is a necessary part of Queensland’s growth, and this policy ensures that economic and social development can occur without an overall degradation of our environment.
“Offsets can only be used to meet development requirements that could occur under existing legislation, and will not facilitate developments that could not otherwise occur.
“Environmental offsets will be required from developments approved by state decision makers after all avenues have been utilised first to avoid and then to minimise the environmental impact.
“The policy has been developed to provide an integrated, consistent and transparent approach to the use of environmental offsets in Queensland.
“This broad policy will be supported by a range of detailed ‘specific-issue’ offset policies to be developed for important environmental values such as vegetation and fish habitat.”
The Environmental Offsets Policy is available on the EPA web site at www.epa.qld.gov.au
Media contact: Peter McCarthy 3336 8004
The Queensland Government Environmental Offsets Policy, which takes effect from today, will assist the Government and the public to protect Queensland's environmental values.
Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew McNamara, said the policy is a milestone for Queensland environmental protection.
“It provides an overarching framework for the transparent and consistent use of environmental offsets,” Mr McNamara said.
“The policy will help achieve ecologically sustainable development to improve our quality of life now, and preserve the unique environmental values of Queensland for the future.
“Appropriate development is a necessary part of Queensland’s growth, and this policy ensures that economic and social development can occur without an overall degradation of our environment.
“Offsets can only be used to meet development requirements that could occur under existing legislation, and will not facilitate developments that could not otherwise occur.
“Environmental offsets will be required from developments approved by state decision makers after all avenues have been utilised first to avoid and then to minimise the environmental impact.
“The policy has been developed to provide an integrated, consistent and transparent approach to the use of environmental offsets in Queensland.
“This broad policy will be supported by a range of detailed ‘specific-issue’ offset policies to be developed for important environmental values such as vegetation and fish habitat.”
The Environmental Offsets Policy is available on the EPA web site at www.epa.qld.gov.au
Media contact: Peter McCarthy 3336 8004