THE Palaszczuk government says it has delivered on a major election commitment, after passing controversial vegetation management laws in parliament tonight.
Natural Resources Minister Anthony Lynham said the reforms were based on science and were pivotal to protecting the state’s precious resources, including the Great Barrier Reef.
The new laws were passed in the Queensland Parliament at 10.30pm tonight. The LNP, Katters and One Nation opposed the legislation.
“Today marks the delivery of our promise to tackle unsustainable clearing for all Queenslanders,” Dr Lynham said.
“This is balanced, measured and responsible legislation.
“High-value regrowth vegetation that has not been cleared for 15 years, and is part of an ‘endangered’ or at risk regional ecosystem vegetation, will now be protected.
“This reform, combined with better mapping and support for landholders, will result in the protection of 862,506 hectares of high value regrowth vegetation.”
Minister for Environment and the Great Barrier Reef Leeanne Enoch said through these laws, the Palaszczuk Government had delivered a fantastic outcome for our state’s environment.
“Nearly half, or 405,000 hectares of vegetation, now protected under our laws are in catchments that flow in to the Great Barrier Reef, and this will ensure our reef is protected along with the tens of thousands of jobs that rely on it,” Ms Enoch said.
“Reducing land clearing was a commitment in the Reef 2050 Sustainability Plan.
“Both the State Government and the Turnbull Government committed to this plan and it’s what has stopped UNESCO putting the reef on the ‘in danger’ list.
“These laws will also ensure we meet our global commitments to reduce our carbon emissions, including a transition to zero net emissions by 2050.”
Ms Enoch said the Palaszczuk Government had to act to stop broadscale land clearing before it was too late.
“Scientific evidence shows that when the former LNP Government scrapped our land clearing laws, the annual rate of vegetation clearing almost quadrupled,” she said.
“Clearing in Queensland reached a rate of 1000 football fields being cleared every day and I’m pleased the Palaszczuk Government has now put an end to this.”
Dr Lynham said passing sustainable vegetation management laws had been a long journey.
“Extensive consultation over several years has been undertaken to ensure the balance is right, including consideration of 13,000 submissions to the Parliamentary Committee.
“We have listened to feedback and worked hard to ensure we get the balance right.
“Landholders will still be able to conduct necessary clearing for farm operations such as clearing to harvest fodder to feed stock, establish property infrastructure, control weeds, and disaster management or recovery.
“We will continue with the review of all codes in partnership with key stakeholders, CSIRO and the Queensland Herbarium, to ensure farmers can get on with their day- to-day business and still meet their obligations under the new laws.
“The government has agreed in-principle to all recommendations of the Committee as part of the implementation. We will now continue to ensure landholders get the support they need to meet their obligations and develop their farm enterprises.”
Key changes to Queensland’s vegetation management laws include:
- Ceasing broadscale clearing of remnant vegetation by removing provisions which allow clearing for high value agriculture and irrigated high value agriculture.
- Protecting an additional 862,506 hectares of ‘high value regrowth’, with trees older than 15 years-old now protected.
- Regulating the protection of near-threatened species and update the Essential Habitat mapping layer used in the Vegetation Management Act to protect endangered, vulnerable and near-threatened species.
- Regulating the clearing of vegetation within 50m of a watercourse for the Burnett-Mary, Eastern Cape York and Fitzroy catchments, providing consistent protection to regrowth vegetation in all Great Barrier Reef catchments.
- Regulating the removal of vegetation in a watercourse under a riverine protection permit.
- Retaining self-assessable codes for low risk activities with a major review by the Queensland Herbarium and CSIRO underway to ensure they hit the mark.
Dr Lynham said new vegetation maps were in place as part of the new laws.
