NSW Labor has shown its hand on land clearing reform - and revealed a green thumb in the process.
Opposition environment spokeswoman Penny Sharpe has blasted The Nationals for “leading the charge” to tear up the Native Vegetation Act, a move she says will damage carbon reduction efforts and put protected animal species at risk.
Last week Opposition MPs met with environmental groups in Sydney to hear concerns over Coalition plans to repeal Labor-constructed native vegetation laws.
While Ms Sharpe rejected the notion that her party’s stance was anti-farmer, she urged landholders ‘to think more broadly’ about the reforms.
Primary Industries minister Niall Blair hit back saying Labor’s message represented the party’s willingness to ignore rural regions.
“Labor has always sacrificed farmers to win seats from the Greens in inner city suburbs – and clearly when it comes to these reforms they are planning to do it again,” Mr Blair said.
The proposed Biodiversity Act reform - the lynchpin of the 2015 memorandum of understanding between NSW Farmers and the Coalition - would give farmers greater flexibility to clear land for production and management of natural resources.
Farmers have consistently claimed they are the best custodians of the land and can be trusted to not commit damaging land clearing.
Government consultation with stakeholder groups – including conservation and farming bodies – is currently underway.
A draft bill is expected in March.
Ms Sharpe said Labor would not support any policy that watered down environmental laws.
“The laws have been very successful - they’ve dropped broadscale land clearing from 80,000 to 1000 hectares per year - and in-turn have helped us meet our carbon emissions targets,” she said.
“We’re also seeing the Impact in terms of protecting native wildlife.”
Last week Labor leader Luke Foley met with members of the National Parks Association, while Ms Sharpe attended two forums hosted by NSW Biodiversity Review Campaign and Nature Conservation Council.
She said she and had concerns over The Nationals’ rhetoric on land clearing and that “the government had handcuffed itself to more extremist views” in some areas.
Ms Sharpe also insisted that a number of rural communities had concerns over the proposed laws.
“Not everyone (in regional areas) agrees with The Nationals, and in fact there are a lot of landholders who have similar concerns to us,” she said.
“Often the (existing) laws are painted as a negative for individual landowners - but I think we need to think a bit broader.”
Minister Niall Blair said the reforms were about improving farmers’ productivity, the strength of ecosystems and investing in conservation outcomes across NSW.
