Philippa England writes in The Conversation (29.5.18) that Queensland’s new land-clearing laws are a missed opportunity for collaborative, sustainable approaches to land management and environmental protection.
‘The Queensland government passed legislation last month to prevent the clearing of high-value regrowth vegetation on freehold and Indigenous land. The move has been deeply unpopular with many landholders. They have argued that they are footing the bill for the commmunity’s environmental aspirations – without compensation.
‘The government’s intention was to reinstate a “responsible vegetation management framework”, broadly in line with legislation first passed in 2004, but which the Newman government repealed in 2013.
‘But time has moved on since 2004. Instead of relying on a heavy-handed regulatory approach, a mix of carrots and sticks might have generated economic value for landholders, and reduced land clearing into the bargain.
‘… With a little more preparation and creative thinking, the government might have been able to spare our vegetation, create a huge pool of lucrative carbon offsets ready to market to the world, and provide compensation to affected landholders.’
- Queensland’s new land-clearing laws are all stick and no carrot (but it’s time to do better) »
- Vegetation Management and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2018 »
- Land-clearing figures show 314,000 hectares felled in Great Barrier Reef catchment »
- To reduce fire risk and meet climate targets, over 300 scientists call for stronger land clearing laws »
- Queensland landholders warned of massive fines over ‘exempt’ land clearing »
- High Court boosts Qld councils’ power to limit land clearing »
- ‘Carbon bomb’: Queensland reveals big jump in land clearing »
- Land-clearing destroyed 90,000 hectares of Queensland koala habitat in single year, analysis finds »
- Australia’s climate data to UN questioned as study finds land clearing in Queensland underreported »
- Questions over land clearing in North Queensland where vulnerable species are thought to live »
- Land-clearing wipes out $1bn taxpayer-funded emissions gains »
- Queensland land clearing could become ‘tsunami’, say conservation groups »
- Land clearing laws a ‘step backwards for justice’: Queensland Law Society »
- Why aren’t Australia’s environment laws preventing widespread land clearing? »