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$406m funds for NSW farmers
24 Oct 2003
WA's Pastoralists' and Graziers' Association has called on the State Government to follow NSW in allowing farmers flexibility to manage native vegetation. The new NSW framework, Property Vegetation Plans, was developed after negotiations between the NSW Farmers' Association, environmental groups and scientists.
State and federal funding of $406 million over four years will be offered to NSW farmers as an incentive to boost their conservation efforts. Farmers will be funded to plant trees, set aside more land for conservation and focus on sustainability.
Applications from farmers wanting to develop land will be looked at by locally-based experts and if they object there must be a clear scientific reason, NSWFF's Rob Anderson said.
PGA private property rights chairman Craig Underwood said the NSW move sets a precedent. There are now two clear signals to WA from NSW and Queensland, he said. Queensland has accepted that affected landowners should be compensated if private property rights are lost in the community interest. But he said in WA, Government red tape is increasing, and reducing farm management and property rights, while at the same time policing and penalties are significantly expanding.
Farm Weekly, 23/10/03.
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