Media Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
AEF SUPPORTS VEGETATION LAW OVERHAUL
The Australian Environment Foundation today backed the Senate Inquiry into Native
Vegetation Laws recommendation to establish a “balance between maximising
agricultural production and best practice conservation.”
The senate inquiry report released last week showed the unintended consequences
of native vegetation laws in both Queensland and New South Wales, which meant
landholders bear the full cost of native vegetation protection on their land on behalf of
the whole community.
“Clearly, in the evidence before the inquiry landholders have suffered many inequities
from the implementation of these laws” said Alex Stuart, chairman of the AEF.
“These laws in many cases have been disastrous for rural communities and the
environment.”
“Government must work collaboratively with and reward landholders for protecting
vegetation, rather than the present system that punishes through regulation.”
“As we said at the inquiry ‘There seems to be a disconnect between the intent of
native vegetation laws and the clearly recognised need to assure confidence and
security in food production and the management of private land to produce good
environmental outcomes’.”
“These objectives should not be viewed as mutually exclusive.”
“Perverse outcomes have resulted from
thickening of Invasive Native Species
leading to less groundcover, less native flora and fauna and increased erosion” said
Mr Stuart.
The senate committee recognised that “the need for action across all jurisdictions in
relation to stewardship initiatives. Toward this objective, it appreciates that a shift in
the approach away from regulation to that of stewardship implies reorienting the
focus of the relationship between landholder, land and government.”
“We call on the Queensland and NSW governments to act on the inquiry
recommendations without delay and offer meaningful stewardship programs to
landholders to garner their support for protecting remnant native vegetation”
concluded Mr Stuart.
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ENDS -
Media Contact: Max Rheese 0428 621320
The Australian Environment Foundation (AEF) is a not-for-profit, membership-based
environment organisation having no political affiliation. The AEF is a different kind of
environment group, caring for both Australia & Australians. Many of our members
are practical environmentalists –
people who actively use and also care for the
environment. We accept that environmental protection and sustainable resource use
are generally compatible. For more information about the AEF visit www.aefweb.info
May 6th 2010
NEWS 
