A JOINT parliamentary committee made up of equal numbers of LNP and ALP MPs has cleared the way for the Bligh government to tax Queensland grazing by charging rent on stock routes and road reserves.
But while AgForce and local councils campaign against the new laws, landholders in the State's most productive agricultural regions will lose their traditional right to graze stock on thousands of kilometres of fenced stock routes.
The tax will raise $250,000 to $500,000 in just one North Queensland shire, but details of fees under the scheme have not been revealed, and local councils, who will take control of the program, say income they receive will not pay the administrative costs.
The Stock Route Network Management Bill is scheduled to be passed by Parliament at its coming sitting.
Whether or not it appears on the parliamentary notice paper will be determined by the government's priorities for its re-election campaign.
A report by the Parliament's Transport and Local Government Committee reveals that under the bill, static grazing will be outlawed on stock routes that are fenced on both sides.
A high percentage of stock routes in the Maranoa, Longreach, Barcaldine, Blackall, Tambo, Balonne and Goondiwindi shires will be affected by the clause.
Adjoining landholders, who have had unrestricted access to these routes in the past, will find access for their stock cut off.
The committee approved the legislation for Parliament but made 16 recommendations, including a request that proposed fees and regulations be disclosed prior to the debate.
AgForce stock route spokesman and North West Queensland grazier Peter Hall said the organisation did not support the bill, as it failed to address critical questions about future management. The organisation was still digesting the committee's report.
"At a glance, it appears we are in agreement with their recommendations, but some don't go far enough," he said.
There were four key concerns with the bill:
Its undisclosed fee structure. Distribution of rental revenue across the network.Councils being given power to impose grazing fees on roads. Parts of the stock route network being locked up.
Mr Hall described the inclusion of road reserves as "blatant revenue raising".
"These road networks were never part of the original intention to create a self-funded stock route network," he said.
"AgForce has consistently argued for rents to be capped at 1.5 per cent of the unimproved land value or adjoining land use remnant values. But as it stands in the new bill, we have absolutely no idea how rents will be struck.
"AgForce argues that the majority of funds generated in a local council area need to be reallocated to that council and not be redistributed across the entire network."
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