Farmers cannot be forgotten in the rush for environmental laws.
We need clarity and consistency in government regulation. It’s not anti-environment, it’s pro-farm.
Queensland agricultural producers are urgently calling for more input into the overhaul of Australia’s federal Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conversation (EPBC) Act.
In the wake of Environment Minister Murray Watt’s National Press Club address and news that the Coalition and Greens have pushed the EPBC reform bills into a five-month Senate inquiry, it’s a good time to take pause.
A pause to make sure that the agricultural community is adequately consulted. Because the one thing that we need going forward for our population and security in the region is ample food and fibre.
There’s some concern that there’s been limited engagement with agricultural stakeholders so far on these long overdue reforms.
The Queensland agricultural sector thrives on confidence — confidence in its capacity to grow, adapt, and prosper.
That assurance is essential so future generations can continue to invest in their land, their soils, and their businesses.
They need clarity around that going forward to be able to say, well, there is a future for us there. I can do this.
They do want me to farm, they do want me to produce quality livestock.
They need clarity to be able to invest in that land and improve their soils and make their businesses profitable.
They need a coherent framework with predictable timelines and accountable processes so that they can plan for the long term and do what they do best, which is grow fibre and food and support regional communities.
Queensland farmers manage the largest share of the nation’s agricultural land. They live and breathe that land every day. They know what’s best for it.
They want to leave it to future generations.
And in order to do that, they need quick, accountable, easy to work with processes.
They don’t need to go through three or four levels of government – this review of the EPBC Act must reduce duplication and sometimes triplication.
The agriculture opportunity in Queensland is absolutely immense, especially the northern part of Queensland and Australia for Australia which is essentially untapped.
That on-ground practical knowledge needs to be used going forward to formulate policy and design it with the lived realities of growers in mind.
Consultation of those land managers is absolutely crucial to a workable EPBC Act, because Every Family Needs a Farmer.
