• Steven Miles lashes out at farmers for wanting to stage peaceful protest at Ekka time in Brisbane

• If it’s OK for Labor’s union mates to stage regular protests, why not farmers?

• Labor clearly feeling the pressure for its draconian changes to vegetation management laws

There will be one extra clown at the Royal Queensland Show this year – Environment Minister Steven Miles – who thinks farmers in town for the EKKA shouldn’t take the opportunity to protest against the Palaszczuk Government’s proposed changes to vegetation management laws.

Shadow Minister for Natural Resources Andrew Cripps said in another galling display of how disconnected Labor is from regional Queensland, Mr Miles had criticised rural lobby group AgForce for organising a rally in Brisbane’s CBD this Thursday, because he thinks it ‘politicises’ the annual show event.

“This smacks of hypocrisy from Steven Miles – he’s more than happy for his mates in the union movement to march through the streets and rally outside the Queensland Parliament, but when landholders want to send a message to the Palaszczuk Government – it’s too political,” Mr Cripps said.

“Newsflash Mr Miles, the Royal Queensland Show has always been the week that ‘Country meets City’ in Brisbane and you can’t have EKKA without Queensland’s farmers – that shouldn’t mean landholders have to leave their opinions at the farm gate to be allowed into town.

“Clearly Labor is feeling the pressure from this campaign against their proposed changes to Queensland’s vegetation management laws – the groundswell of opposition to these amendments is gaining momentum and Steven Miles is getting desperate.

“While Minister Miles lashes out at farmers and landholders for wanting to have their say, surely Annastacia Palaszczuk needs to be asking herself why Queensland’s primary producers and the rural communities they support marching in the streets of Brisbane?

“The Palaszczuk Government is out-of-touch with regional Queensland and the EKKA is in fact the perfect platform for urban residents to hear a message loud and clear from the bush – Labor is threatening our livelihoods, our jobs, our industries and our communities.”