The Palaszczuk Government has doubled-crossed farmers and graziers over its vegetation management consultation process it was revealed during Budget Estimates this week.
Shadow Natural Resources Minister Andrew Cripps said Labor was forced to admit the commitments he had given to rural stakeholders about the consultation process on Labor’s proposed vegetation management amendments had not been fulfilled.
“Natural Resources Minister Lynham repeatedly gave undertakings to the agriculture sector that the consultation process would involve a report and recommendations from a stakeholder roundtable,” Mr Cripps said.
“Despite Minister Lynham promises about the process, the Palaszczuk Government disgracefully double-crossed Queensland’s farmers and landholders.
“Labor’s consultation process has been a complete failure – Queensland’s farmers and landholders were told the roundtable process would guide any changes to Queensland’s vegetation management framework.
“The roundtable met only once in July last year and never produced a report, or any recommendations – yet the Palaszczuk Government has gone ahead and honoured its political debt to the Greens.”
Mr Cripps said when Labor introduced the Vegetation Management (Reinstatement) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill on 17 March 2016, it had blatantly ignored the commitments Minister Lynham had given to Queensland’s farmers and landholders.
“This behaviour is shameful and the stakeholders who will be affected by Labor’s proposed changes have every right to be furious about the Palaszczuk Government’s dishonesty.”
