After almost two and a half years of delays, the inquiry into invasive weeds will be reinstated and delivered following pressure from LNP Shadow Minister for Agriculture Tony Perrett.
Confirmation of the Committee's intention to finalise and release the Parliamentary report into the impact of invasive weeds (Invasive Weed Inquiry) came in the form of a letter from Committee Chair Chris Whiting*.
Tony Perrett said the sudden change of heart by the Parliamentary Committee to revisit and finalise the inquiry came after significant public campaign** including a letter he wrote to the Committee Chair***.
"Labor's Mark Furner was more than happy for the report to just sit on the shelf gathering dust never to be released," Mr Perrett said.
"Without the LNP holding the Government to account, Queenslanders would have been denied access to this important audit on the state's response to the on-going war on weeds.
"The extensive inquiry focused heavily on the effectiveness of Labor's weed control programs and how different agencies were working together using giant rat's tail grass, prickly acacia, and fireweed as case studies.
"This report was clearly left sitting on the shelf because Labor didn't like what it had to say about the Government's record on weed management.
"We cannot allow this culture of secrecy and arrogance to continue from Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Mark Furner.
"When it comes to issues affecting rural and regional Queensland, Labor continues to govern from Brisbane for Brisbane.
"While Queensland loses the battle against weeds in this state, Mark Furner continues to play politics with rural and regional Queensland from his inner-city Brisbane seat."
** Post-flood prickly acacia spread revives weed inquiry call https://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/5964151/weed-work-gathering-dust/
