Land clearing in Queensland doubles despite new laws

More than 680,000ha of woodland was cleared in Queensland in 2018-19 – double the previous year – despite the Palaszczuk government’s vegetation management laws.

A pastoral company was fined $18,000 after pleading guilty to illegally clearing land in the Kumbarilla State Forest, southwest of Dalby. Picture: DES

More than 680,000 hectares of forest were cleared in Queensland in 2018-19 – double the previous year’s total – despite the introduction of the Palaszczuk government’s controversial vegetation management laws.

The rate of clearing identified in the long-awaited Statewide Landcover and Tree Study report, released on Thursday, was significantly higher than under the Newman government, before the new legislation was introduced in 2018. In response to the report, the Palaszczuk government said it would establish a scientific expert group to help understand the ­factors behind the latest clearing figures and identify incentives to help avoid future clearing.

Conservationists, alarmed by the increase, accused the Palaszczuk government of leaving loopholes in its legislation that had been exploited.

Agricultural groups, which campaigned against the introduction of the laws that outlawed broadscale land clearing, said the data showed that illegal clearing had stayed at the same low rate and that nearly all of the clearing was outside vulnerable areas.

The previous SLATS survey, conducted in 2017-18, which showed that 392,000ha of bushland had been cleared, had been used by the Palaszczuk government to support its case to toughen controls on landholders.

The new report found that 82 per cent of the woody vegetation cleared in 2018-19 was full removal of the vegetation, while the remainder was partially cleared, mostly for cattle grazing.

Queensland Resources Minister Scott Stewart said the report was able to more accurately monitor changes in vegetation due to higher resolution imagery and could therefore not be compared to previous reports.

“I’m encouraged the 2018-19 Statewide Landcover and Trees Study report shows less than 1 per cent of cleared land was endangered, and apart from drought-related fodder harvesting, remnant clearing is less than 8 cent of all clearing,” Mr Stewart said.

“The change in the methodology means the data from this ­report can’t be directly compared with previous SLATS data, which have been used to compare rates of change over time.”

He said a “high proportion” of the clearing was attributable to drought exemptions, “legacy exemptions”, clearing for fire breaks and trails and “excessive clearing” when the laws were amended.

However, Queensland Conservation Council director Dave Copeman said the data revealed that deforestation in Queensland was “still out of control” and a serious risk to vulnerable wildlife.

“The huge area of destruction reported means we have probably been underestimating the clearing throughout Queensland for years,” Mr Copeman said.

“The extent and pace of deforestation is heartbreaking and we owe it to future generations to stop this climate-wrecking and habitat destroying trend.”

AgForce focused on the revelation that just 0.2 per cent of regulated vegetation had been cleared for production in 2018-19.

“There has been no significant clearing of trees in Queensland, and sensational claims of land clearing are myths,” AgForce chief executive Michael Guerin said.

“The findings are testament to the hard work of landowners who have made great efforts with sustainable land management during particularly challenging times and tough drought conditions.”

Mr Guerin said the apparent increase in clearing was due to finer resolution imagery and said the latest SLATS report did not include regrowth, thickening and bio-condition data.

WWF Australia’s Stuart Bla­nch said the report undermined commitments by the Queensland and federal governments to cut emissions to net zero by 2050.