The LNP Opposition and Queensland’s peak rural industry groups have joined forces to launch a state-wide petition in response to the Palaszczuk Labor Government’s Vegetation Management (Reinstatement) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill.

Launching the petition in Townsville today, Shadow Minister for Natural Resources, Andrew Cripps, said the petition was an opportunity for all Queenslanders to register their concerns about the adverse impacts of Labor’s proposals regarding vegetation management.

“This petition is about Queenslanders sending as message to their local MP that they are concerned about the Palaszczuk Government’s amendments to the vegetation management framework and the negative impact it will have on landholders” said Mr Cripps.

“This bill, if agreed to by the Queensland Parliament, will curtail private property rights, reduce the productivity of the agricultural sector and threaten jobs in regional communities and this petition calls on MPs not to support it in its current from” he said.

Mr Cripps said he was pleased that Mr Grant Maudsley, General President of AgForce Queensland, the state’s peak industry body representing broad-acre cropping and grazing interests, had agreed to be the principal petitioner.

“I am encouraged that the LNP, AgForce and other rural industry groups, including the Queensland Farmers Federation, CANEGROWERS, Growcom, Cotton Australia and Queensland Dairy Farmers Organisation are all standing together on this issue”.

“Along with the paper petition that will be circulated across Queensland, I will be sponsoring an e-petition on the Queensland Parliamentary website, so that people who don’t have the opportunity to sign in person can do so online, so they don’t miss out”.

Mr Cripps said the Palaszczuk Labor Government’s proposed to overturn the changes made by the former LNP Government to the Vegetation Management Act in 2013 as a result of a preference deal with the Greens before the state election in January 2015.

1. Paper petitions will be circulating throughout Queensland over coming months.

The e-petition can be accessed on the Queensland Parliamentary Website –

http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/petitions/e-petitions