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04 Jun 2009 QLD GOVT IGNORES REEF OUTCOMES FOR A CHEAP SHOT AT FARMERS

Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) is frustrated that the Bligh Government has yet again targeted individual farming business with little or no thought or consultation by announcing new legislation in State Parliament today.

CEO Dan Galligan said the legislation, announced today by the Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability proclaims to protect the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) but fails to outline how this will be achieved beyond institutionalising layers of bureaucracy designed to stop farmers operating their businesses.

“It is quiet ironic that in a week that the national accounts demonstrated the importance of our farming sector, the Queensland Government has chosen to outline a plan to hinder the operations of some of our largest food producers in the cane and grazing industries,” Mr Galligan said.

Mr Galligan said the Minister claims that the legislation will serve to protect the reef yet beyond some politically driven announcements; the Government has put very little effort into designing an evidence based implementation plan for improving water quality on the reef.

“The most effective programs delivering actual improvements in the health of the GBR are currently being implemented by farmers, regional natural resource management bodies and Universities. Meanwhile the State Government has spent the last seven months drawing up political headlines that appear hollow on outcomes and push for an arbitrary and blunt regulatory system to what are complex management issues that farmers already address on a day-to-day basis.

“This kind of legislative approach puts the State Government at odds with everybody who is working on the ground to protect the GBR,” Mr Galligan added.

“”It is strange too see that when public money is scarce and the economy is slowing the Government would choose to spill their limited resources into funding the development of legislation that will take millions of dollars to introduce, monitor and enforce and serve to dampen the ability of farmers to get on with the job of producing food efficiently while delivering very little at all for the GBR.

“Meanwhile this ignores the fact that many of the activities that are proposed to be targeted are already protected by some form of Government legislation. Those that aren’t are linked to efficiency of inputs which is an issue that all farmers are already acutely aware of as they manage their businesses in such a way as to produce more product with fewer inputs but still try and remain profitable."

“Further regulations are not needed in this area, more science and water quality information put in the hands of land manages is.” Mr Galligan concluded.

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