OPPOSITION environment spokesman Stephen Bennett has hit back at claims the Opposition is demanding that National Parks be kept open to “cows and casinos”.
“I’ve been calling for fair and sensible review for 78 leases that have been caught up in Labor’s new legislation contained in the Nature Conservation and Other Legislation Bill,” Mr Bennett said.
“I’ve called for the holders of these grazing leases to at the very least be allowed to appeal any decision on their leases being cancelled because Dr Miles wants to refuse them even that basic right.”
Mr Bennett said Environment Minister Steven Miles was deliberately making false claims.
“We are not talking about grazing in World Heritage Listed National Parks, and we’ve not talking about building Las Vegas-style gaming palaces at Binna Burra – he’s made that up,” Mr Bennett said.
“We are talking about leases in forests that have been sustainably grazed by some families for generations, including the Mayne family of Carnarvon, who have attained the highest levels of accreditation for sustainability.
“Dr Miles completed his doctorate in union encouragement, but perhaps he could be encouraged to undertake another PhD in handling the truth.
“Nowhere have I been calling for casinos in national parks as Dr Miles claims, and nowhere does Dr Miles say anything about his sneaky plan to deny the right of appeal as should be allowed when any legislation, any Minister, any government takes away the rights of any individual.”
In an extraodinary attack affecting landholders on who run cattle on 78 park land leases, Environment Minister Miles said under the Newman Government, national parks were nothing more than an exploitable resource.
“The LNP’s ill-informed comments about our national parks show they have learnt nothing since losing government and treat them as play things, giving unfettered access to graziers and businesses, cows and casinos,” Dr Miles said.
“Under the Newman Government, national parks were nothing more than an exploitable resource, that’s why they changed the Nature Conservation Act in Queensland to allow for commercial activities such as resorts and zip-lines.
“Someone should tell them the giveaway is in the title, the Nature Conservation Act. The whole point of national parks is to conserve our unique wildlife and distinctive landscapes.”
However, it was his claims about the impact cattle which has been grazed on many of these areas for more than 100 years that created the most concern.
“Cattle cause substantial compaction and erosion to these native habitats so the longer you leave cattle within these areas, the more opportunity there is to do damage to those rare and threatened species populations,” Dr Miles said.
Mr Bennett said in many instances cattle were an important management tool and had helped maintain the environmental value of these areas.
“Their seasonal grazing activities definitely help reduce dangerous fuel loads in open ironbark forests that help prevent dangerous wildfires from destroying everything,” Mr Bennett said.
Dr Miles said amendments to the Nature Conservation and Other Legislation Bill would ensure national parks were conserved, first and foremost for the conservation of nature. Other compatible land uses such as recreation and ecotourism will still be allowed and encouraged, he said.
“I am pleased to see that the majority of submissions received by the committee supported the re-instatement of the conservation of nature as the sole object of the Nature Conservation Act.
“We know some farmers are doing it tough and the change will not impact on the existing rights of the landholder under their current lease, including the term, conditions and authorised use and the continuation of their authorities has given graziers the opportunity for a gradual phase-out,” Dr Miles said.
