Queensland firm urges greater government support on drought crisis
In the midst of the latest political shake-up, a Queensland law firm has called for the state government to place an added emphasis on aiding local farmers as the nation’s drought continues to devastate.
Creevey Russell Lawyers principal Dan Creevey has urged the Palaszczuk government to offer better support to farmers, saying constant changes to legislation – such as the reintroduced tree clearing laws and new vegetation management laws – are creating a lack of departmental support and increasing the challenges faced by those having to deal with the drought.
“In circumstances where farmers do get an opportunity to reach out for assistance from the relevant government department, we often hear stories that they are turned away and advised the relevant information is contained on the department’s website,” he said.
“A lot of the definitions and classifications contained in the relevant legislation often comes down to a matter of interpretation. In some situations, we find farmers are doing the relevant self-assessments, concluding they are entitled to do certain things on their property, only to be advised at a later point what they did was illegal and in breach of the relevant laws.
“When restoration notices are issued for alleged tree clearing offences, they can have serious and long-lasting impact on a farmer’s rights. There needs to be greater assistance given to farmers to help them comply with their obligations.”
Mr Creevey noted the constant changes to government legislation and policy makes it increasingly difficult for farmers to apply their trade and also be aware of the changes.
“Whilst ignorance of the law is not an excuse, the constant changes to the relevant legislation, regulations, and policy makes it increasingly difficult for farmers to know what they are and are not entitled to do with their properties,” he said.
“Queensland families need farmers. Whether or not their product is cattle, crops, or something else, farmers want to get the maximum benefit from the land they own. Government should be aware that farmers work very long hours. They often do not have the time to sit at a computer and research the constant changes to the legislation to identify what they can and cannot do on their property.”
Emma Musgrave
Emma Musgrave (née Ryan) is the managing editor, professional services at Momentum Media.
Emma has worked for Momentum Media since 2015, including five years spent as the editor of the company's legal brand - Lawyers Weekly. Throughout her time at Momentum, she has been responsible for breaking some of the biggest stories in corporate Australia. In addition, she has produced exclusive multimedia and event content related to the company's respective brands and audiences.
Prior to joining Momentum Media, Emma worked in breakfast radio, delivering news to the Central West region of NSW, before taking on a radio journalist role at Southern Cross Austereo, based in Townsville, North Queensland.
She holds a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) degree from Charles Sturt University.
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