Time running out to have your say on property rights
09-March-2010
Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton has urged farmers affected by the draconian native vegetation laws to lodge a submission to a Senate inquiry into the matter before it closes next week.
Mr Coulton said it was vital all landholders and organisations whose property rights have been eroded under the legislation submit their concerns to the Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee before the 17th of March.
The inquiry has been established to determine the impact of native vegetation laws and legislated greenhouse gas abatement measures on landholders, including:
(a) any diminution of land asset value and productivity as a result of such laws;
(b) compensation arrangements to landholders resulting from the imposition of such laws;
(c) the appropriateness of the method of calculation of asset value in the determination of compensation arrangements; and
(d) any other related matter
Mr Coulton said that in the 12 years since Bob Carr introduced the legislation a succession of NSW and Queensland Labor Premiers have continued to rip away the rights of what farmers can do on their own land.
“The legislation was designed to boost environmental sustainability when in fact it has done little more than jeopardise biodiversity and rob many farmers effectively of the ability to make a living,” he said
“It was extremely poor green policy from the outset. The recent rainfall, for example, has highlighted the folly of locking up large areas of vegetation for supposed environmental reasons.
“Driving around the electorate in recent days it has become very obvious that the country that has been selectively cleared and managed is thriving with high levels of biodiversity, whereas country that has been locked up is becoming increasingly eroded with its biodiversity threatened.
“This legislation has been bad for the economies of our farmers and it has been bad for the economy of our country.
“We desperately need to reverse these laws and lodging a submission gives us a very good start. Submissions only need to brief but it is vital that the inquiry hears from as many landholders as possible.”
Alternatively, written submissions may be sent to:
Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600