A broad brush initiative to develop a genuine partnership between landholders and government is blended with imaginative specific development funding in the LNP Natural Resources and Water policy unveiled this week by Shadow Minister for Natural Resources Andrew Cripps.
He said the policy was based on achieving scientific and environmental objectives, securing property rights, incentives for good management and a genuine partnership between landholders and government.
It also promised to scrap the Queensland Water Commisson to achieve major cost savings.
While Mr Cripps says management of Queensland’s natural resources must be environmentally sustainable in the long term, it also was important to recognise the importance of natural resourcebased industries and ensure they could operate in an economically efficient manner for the benefit of the many Queensland communities that depend on them.
This meant natural resource decision-making should always be based on sound science.
The policy sets specific targets and budgets for dam and water infrastructure upgrades, protection of stock routes, incentives for environmental protection and job creation for the whole community.
Specific resources elements of the policy include:
* $4 million over four years to support landholders affected by vegetation management legislation and to provide environmental incentive payments to landowners pursuing environmental protection measures.
* $2 million for a major study into the future use of Crown land in Queensland to plan for future conservation purposes and economic opportunities in consultation with major stakeholder groups.
* $4 million a year to increase research and extension in the Department of Natural Resources and Water and to enhance the capacity of the department and provide a service focus to stakeholders.
* $2 million over four years to assist up to 1000 rural landholders each year to develop environmentally sustainable land management plans.
* A commitment to protect the future of Queensland’s 72,000km of stock routes, ensuring they remain for the use of travelling stock.
* A review of the tenure application process in an attempt to reduce the bureaucracy involved in the renewal, variation or changes of leases and permits.
* $3.15 million a year for three years to support the development of catchment wide salinity action plans and natural resource management plans.
Specific water policy commitments are:
* $6 million over three years for the ongoing delivery of an enhanced horticulture industry Rural Water Use Efficiency program.
* A position statement confirming the LNP does not intend to roll out the southeast Queensland water model in other regions of Queensland, but will work with local government to achieve improvements in water supplies, while leaving the ownership and control of local water infrastructure and service delivery in the lands of local councils.
The policy also made commitment to restart water infrastructure projects that had stalled under Labor, including:
1. An additional $10 million for the Nathan Dam EIS,
2. $10 million for the Connors River Dam EIS,
3. $10 million for the business cases of the Rookwood Weir and Eden Bann Weir projects and
4. $11 million for the EIS and the design work for the “Water for Bowen” project.
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