LNP Member for Gregory Lachlan Millar is appalled by the Palaszczuk Labor Government’s commitment last week, to reintroducing their senseless vegetation management laws.

“During Estimates hearings, Environment Minister Steven Miles reconfirmed the Palaszczuk Labor Government would scrap the existing vegetation management framework, making it impossible for landholders to undertake vital land management activities,” Mr Millar said.

“The Minister claimed that under the former LNP Government, tree-clearing rates skyrocketed.

“This is simply untrue.

“The fact of the matter is, the Bligh Labor Government’s vegetation management laws saw 260,000 hectares of land cleared in 2012-13.

“This is typical scaremongering from Minister Miles and the Palaszczuk Labor Government.

“The Minister is selectively quoting data from previous SLATS reports to back up his unfounded claims.

“The report used by Minister Miles in his latest attack clearly shows there was no significant escalation in vegetation management activities in Queensland following the LNPs reforms in 2013.

“Reforms introduced by the former LNP Government ensured a sensible balance of environmental protection and sustainable pasture management.

“Sadly, the Palaszczuk Labor Government are determined to demonise farmers for undertaking responsible pasture management activities.

“In a recent media release, Minister Miles also claimed the LNP peeled back administrative and compliance oversight of the Vegetation Management Act.

“This is also untrue.

“In a statement on 19 April 2012, former Minister Andrew Cripps moved to put a hold on all existing investigations, requested the department withdraw from appeals on sentences already handed down and requested a review of penalties already issued.

“In a further statement on 10 September 2012, the former LNP Government made a commitment to continue satellite monitoring and compliance activities to ensure inappropriate vegetation management practices were detected.”