2016-05-06
06/05/2016
Public submissions to the Queensland Parliamentary Committee inquiry into changes to land clearing laws have closed, with the Queensland Greens calling for the legislation to be passed urgently along with improvements to help reduce carbon emissions and protect the Great Barrier Reef.
The Greens submission called for further legislation to provide landholder incentives to retain and improve vegetative cover and balance greenhouse gas emissions.
Greens spokesperson Andrew Bartlett said “a balanced approach to vegetation protection and rural land management is fundamental to our future prosperity."
“Commitments by the State government to vegetation management in Great Barrier Reef catchments helped avoid the United Nations World Heritage Committee classifying the Reef as “in danger. If Australia and Queensland fail to deliver on these commitments, we risk the UN categorising the Reef as in danger when this decision is reviewed.
The Queensland Greens believe the Vegetation Management Act will be unable to deliver on its stated purpose unless the Act also protects remnant vegetation on the 27% of the State area not covered by this Bill, particularly in the South East Queensland Urban Region where development is causing continuing loss of biodiversity.
Measures are also needed to balance our carbon emission by increasing forested and vegetative cover through programs to rehabilitate regions previously destroyed by poor land management practices, and to provide incentives to landholders to preserve existing vegetation and rehabilitate deforested areas.
“Responsible land management, biodiversity protection, climate change impacts and sustainable agricultural production systems are important issues for all Queenslanders."
The Committee is due to provide its report back to Parliament by 30th June at the latest.