Media Releases

07 Apr 2009 GOVERNMENT VEGETATION MORATORIUM UNWARRANTED

The Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) believes that the agricultural community has been delivered yet another body blow in the pursuit of political wins, when it comes to the State Government announcement of a moratorium on clearing native vegetation from riparian areas bordering streams.

QFF CEO, Dan Galligan said the idea of locking up vast tracks of riparian land in agricultural areas was relatively pointless and may in fact do more harm than good.
Mr Galligan said that “the Government is delivering a political message as a result of promises made during the election but they are doing basically nothing for the environment.

Some of the areas impacted by this moratorium include our most productive farming lands. The food produced in these areas comes from farms that, in the main, were developed decades ago. Farmers understand the significance of riparian areas and their industries already have programs in place to promote the protection of these areas.

This is a perfect example of Governments’ sending a regulatory signal that looks significant, delivers little and exists only to appease a political minority.

Ironically, by proposing to enshrine in legislation a practice that many farmers implement voluntarily, the Government will inadvertently stifle further innovative solutions by farmers and regional Natural Resource Management (NRM) groups to improve and restore riparian areas.

All industries and NRM groups in these regions have existing best practice programs that outline the multitude of activities that can be completed to protect riparian areas in an adaptive way, which respects the value and diversity of the river. The Government is proposing a blunt instrument which ignores the science that points to the real complexity involved in effectively managing these crucial ecosystems.

The attitude of the Government with respect to implementing quick fix regulations to complex environmental management issues is unhelpful to anyone who is really working at the coalface of adaptive environmental management.”

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