ID :
26330
Fri, 10/24/2008 - 16:30
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/26330
The shortlink copeid
Qld may regulate farms to save Reef
Industry and farms that pollute the Great Barrier Reef could be hit with tough penalties if they don't comply with new rules to save the natural icon.
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh told a reef water quality summit in Brisbane on
Friday, the voluntary approach to saving the reef launched by federal and state
governments in 2003 had failed.
"We want to work with farming groups, we want to work with scientists, but after
five years of a voluntary approach the science is telling us it's just not working,"
Ms Bligh said.
"As a state government, I believe it's time that we move to regulate some of the
on-farm activity.
"We have to accept responsibility."
Ms Bligh said new penalties were "something we'll have to look at".
A recent study showed 6.6 million tonnes of sediment had been discharged into the
reef in 2007 - four times higher than estimated pre-European settlement levels.
Ms Bligh praised the work of some farmers, declaring they were using world's best
practices, but overall the efforts over the past five years were failing and urgent
action was needed.
"We already know from the science that has been delivered here today that those
areas most at risk, most exposed, most susceptible, are in those areas that have
high levels of intense farming activity," she said.
"I think everyone has to accept responsibility here - it's not a blame game."
Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett said $23 million would be provided to
coastal management groups in coming weeks to fix hot spots.
"If we are to halt and reverse this decline (in water quality) we must act in a
united way today," Mr Garrett said.
"Failure is not an option.
"The future of a globally recognised environmental jewel is at stake."
Queensland climate change minister Andrew McNamara said almost all of the run-off
problem was attributable to agriculture.
"Reality is that 90 per cent of the runoff problems in the reef are from
agricultural practices," he said.
"Urban land plays a role, mining plays a role, but overwhelmingly the issues of
pesticides and fertilisers are not to do with mining, and the overwhelming soil
sediment is about land management practices."
The summit agreed to a number of reef protection measures.
They included a target of reducing discharge of dissolved nutrients and chemicals
from agricultural lands to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon by 25 per cent and reducing
the discharge of sediment and particulate nutrients from agricultural lands to the
reef by 10 per cent.
Time frames were still being discussed.
But Queensland farming groups say the regulatory approach will not lead to the best
outcome for the natural icon.
Brett de Hayr, CEO of broadacre farm lobby AgForce, said the government won't create
the best solution on its own.
"Industry certainly recognises we need to look at controls for those people who
won't do the right thing, but for states to move down a purely regulatory approach -
you don't get best practice from regulation, you get the lowest common denominator."
John Cherry, CEO of the Queensland Farmers Federation, agreed.
"We believe we can move a lot more farmers to best practice through voluntary
measures," Mr Cherry said.
"We are concerned that regulation will undermine goodwill and make it harder to
achieve that."
Mr de Hayr said industry had no involvement in elements of the reef plan which had
been running for the last five years.
"It's little wonder we sometimes get a little annoyed about being held responsible
for something but you're not ever included on what the solution might be."
Environmental and organic farming groups have welcomed the proposal.
The World Wildlife Federation joined Queensland Conservation and the Australian
Marine Conservation Society in calling for a targeted 50 per cent reduction in
pollution by 2013; regulations on poor farm practice to be introduced and enacted by
2010; the establishment of a Reef Commission to oversee and coordinate the revised
Reef Protection Plan; and an emergency package if targets and outcomes are not
reached.
Andre Leu, chairman of the Organic Federation of Australia, said the premier's
announcement is an opportunity for the farming and research community to work in
partnership with the federation on ways to adopt commercially proven methods to
reduce pesticides and synthetic fertilisers.
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh told a reef water quality summit in Brisbane on
Friday, the voluntary approach to saving the reef launched by federal and state
governments in 2003 had failed.
"We want to work with farming groups, we want to work with scientists, but after
five years of a voluntary approach the science is telling us it's just not working,"
Ms Bligh said.
"As a state government, I believe it's time that we move to regulate some of the
on-farm activity.
"We have to accept responsibility."
Ms Bligh said new penalties were "something we'll have to look at".
A recent study showed 6.6 million tonnes of sediment had been discharged into the
reef in 2007 - four times higher than estimated pre-European settlement levels.
Ms Bligh praised the work of some farmers, declaring they were using world's best
practices, but overall the efforts over the past five years were failing and urgent
action was needed.
"We already know from the science that has been delivered here today that those
areas most at risk, most exposed, most susceptible, are in those areas that have
high levels of intense farming activity," she said.
"I think everyone has to accept responsibility here - it's not a blame game."
Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett said $23 million would be provided to
coastal management groups in coming weeks to fix hot spots.
"If we are to halt and reverse this decline (in water quality) we must act in a
united way today," Mr Garrett said.
"Failure is not an option.
"The future of a globally recognised environmental jewel is at stake."
Queensland climate change minister Andrew McNamara said almost all of the run-off
problem was attributable to agriculture.
"Reality is that 90 per cent of the runoff problems in the reef are from
agricultural practices," he said.
"Urban land plays a role, mining plays a role, but overwhelmingly the issues of
pesticides and fertilisers are not to do with mining, and the overwhelming soil
sediment is about land management practices."
The summit agreed to a number of reef protection measures.
They included a target of reducing discharge of dissolved nutrients and chemicals
from agricultural lands to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon by 25 per cent and reducing
the discharge of sediment and particulate nutrients from agricultural lands to the
reef by 10 per cent.
Time frames were still being discussed.
But Queensland farming groups say the regulatory approach will not lead to the best
outcome for the natural icon.
Brett de Hayr, CEO of broadacre farm lobby AgForce, said the government won't create
the best solution on its own.
"Industry certainly recognises we need to look at controls for those people who
won't do the right thing, but for states to move down a purely regulatory approach -
you don't get best practice from regulation, you get the lowest common denominator."
John Cherry, CEO of the Queensland Farmers Federation, agreed.
"We believe we can move a lot more farmers to best practice through voluntary
measures," Mr Cherry said.
"We are concerned that regulation will undermine goodwill and make it harder to
achieve that."
Mr de Hayr said industry had no involvement in elements of the reef plan which had
been running for the last five years.
"It's little wonder we sometimes get a little annoyed about being held responsible
for something but you're not ever included on what the solution might be."
Environmental and organic farming groups have welcomed the proposal.
The World Wildlife Federation joined Queensland Conservation and the Australian
Marine Conservation Society in calling for a targeted 50 per cent reduction in
pollution by 2013; regulations on poor farm practice to be introduced and enacted by
2010; the establishment of a Reef Commission to oversee and coordinate the revised
Reef Protection Plan; and an emergency package if targets and outcomes are not
reached.
Andre Leu, chairman of the Organic Federation of Australia, said the premier's
announcement is an opportunity for the farming and research community to work in
partnership with the federation on ways to adopt commercially proven methods to
reduce pesticides and synthetic fertilisers.
