In 2012 the Liberal Newman government broke 2012 election promises not to weaken The Vegetation Management Act 1999 (VMA) that blocked much broadscale land clearing. It had also been strengthened to prohibit broadscale clearing between 2004-6. High value regrowth protection was added in 2009.
Newman’s changes reduced enforcement, added permits for so-called (irrigated) high value agriculture that allow broadscale clearing for grazing and de-protects high value regrowth.
Labor introduced a Bill in 2016 to restore the VMA as it had been, but being a minority government, it had little juggling capacity or prospect of passing the Bill and it was defeated.
In 2017 the Palaszczuk government won the election on a clear platform with commitments for much stronger clearing laws.
It introduced a Bill in March to remove (irrigated) high value agriculture, reprotect high value regrowth under better definition, thinning as self assessment based clearing, phase out of Area Management Plans, and place minor restrictions on fodder harvesting.
In April 2018 the Bill was referred to a Committee for Inquiry with about 14,000 submissions, most of which are expected to support the bill. The Committee Inquiry report on the Bill is due on April 23.
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