LNP Shadow Minister for Agriculture Tony Perrett has sprayed the Palaszczuk Labor Government for the endless delays in releasing a Parliamentary Report into the impact of invasive weeds,
The Agriculture and Environment Committee originally commenced the Parliamentary report into the impact of invasive weeds (Invasive Weed Inquiry) review in November 2016*.
Mr. Perrett said it had been nearly two and half years since Labor promised to deliver this report and Queenslanders are still waiting.
“Whether its giant rat’s tail, fireweed, prickly acacia or any of the other countless invasive weeds, Queensland landholders and farmers have had enough,” Mr. Perrett said.
“As a landholder and someone passionate about tackling weeds in rural and regional communities, I spearheaded the ‘war on weeds,’ which led to the Labor Government commissioning this inquiry.
“It is shear arrogance that Labor has left a report sitting on the shelf hidden all because it doesn’t like what it has to say about the Government’s record on weed management.
“The situation is becoming increasingly desperate particularly in the state’s North West which is dealing with a prickly acacia outbreak after the recent flooding events**.
"We cannot allow this culture of secrecy and arrogance to continue from Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Minister Mark Furner.
“He sat on the Queensland Agricultural Training Colleges (QATC) reports for 6 months just to announce its closure.
“This is just the latest in the long list of failures from this Labor Government not fulfilling its obligation to Queenslanders in taking up the fight in the ‘war on weeds.
“When it comes to issues affecting rural and regional Queensland, Labor continues to government from Brisbane for Brisbane.
“While Queensland loses the battle against weeds in this state, Minister Furner continues to play politics with rural and regional Queensland from his inner-city Brisbane seat.”
* https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-committees/former-committees/AEC/inquiries/past-inquiries/14-Weeds
** https://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/5964151/weed-work-gathering-dust/?cs=4785
