QLD farmers left ‘in limbo’ as new federal environment law sparks confusion and cost fears

Queensland farmers have slammed new federal environmental laws as "draconian" and warn consumers will bear the cost of increased compliance requirements.

(Left) Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Dale Last and cane farmer and AgForce Board Director, Ricky Mio, said there will be more red tape for QLD farmers after new amendments were made to the EPBC Act this week. Picture: Josh Mercer

A North Queensland cane farmer is warning that the agriculture industry could be forced to pass the cost of new “draconian” federal environmental laws onto the consumer.

Cane farmer and AgForce Director Rickey Mio said farmers were in limbo because of Environmental Protection, Biodiversity, and Conservation Act changes passed in parliament this week, with people across all agriculture industries concerned they could be breaking the law if they do something on their land.

The federal government says the changes make producers in Queensland follow the same rules imposed on every other industry, and make it easier to get approvals across the line.

The government passed the legislation after doing a deal with the Greens.

But the state government, and Mr Mio, have taken aim at the changes, with Natural Resource Minister Dale Last saying the legislation “defies belief” and will impact farmers across the state.

“Here we are in Queensland selling the message that we’re open for business, that we’re supporting the agricultural and resources sectors in this state, and we have this alliance in Canberra which is absolutely devastating for the agricultural industry in Queensland,” Mr Last said.

Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Dale Last speaks with cane farmer and AgForce Board Director Ricky Mio about amendments made to the EPBC Act that went through federal parliament this week. Picture: Josh Mercer

Mr Mio said it was not clear on what farmers could or could not do.

“Let’s be very clear, we have been promised over and over again by political parties ‘we’re going to get rid of the red tape,’ this is just another red tape,” he said.

Mr Mio added that with producers experiencing additional expenses, it would compound the cost of living and business, and create a flow-on effect to the consumer.

“If a producer wants to develop land for whatever purpose, he has to engage a consultant, get approvals, that’s an extra cost that he can only get what he can for whatever he’s producing, or she’s producing,” he said.

“You take a housing estate, at some point if a housing estate wants to develop here they’re going to have an offset area, that cost is going to be added to every single block.

“You’ve also got a large population, and fantastic to Queensland, of southerners coming up, that just going to impose extra costs. It’s just crazy how things are so expensive and unaffordable.”

Senator Murray Watt. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Federal Environment and Water Minister Murray Watt said the changes would require farmers to come into line with environmental standards expected across other industries in Queensland.

“So mining, housing development, wind farms, all need to meet the environmental standards and be assessed under federal law and that’s exactly what will be required of farmers when they’re engaging in that kind of land clearing as well,” Mr Watt said.

“I’ve personally conducted a 120 meetings over the last few months with a whole range of groups from farmer’s organisations, through to state governments, and many more as well.”

Mr Watt said the former Morrison government had received a review on this legislation, and Labor had enacted the change.

“These changes will be good for our environment and they’ll be good for business by speeding up the approval processes for the kind of projects that we need to take Queensland forward,” he said.

Originally published as QLD farmers left ‘in limbo’ as new federal environment law sparks confusion and cost fears