Vegetation and land management impacts under review

THE House Standing Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources has launched a new inquiry into the impact on the agricultural sector of vegetation and land management policies, regulations and restrictions, and called for submissions.

The Committee’s Chair, Rick Wilson MP, acknowledged that the impact of land management and vegetation policies can be significant on the agricultural sector.

“Bushfires, expanding land use, and hazard management can dictate the future of regional, rural and remote land areas," Mr Wilson said. "The Committee’s inquiry into these issues is timely, given the current and impending natural disaster probability”.

The Committee will be inquiring into these impacts, with particular regard to:

• Past and current practices of land and vegetation management by the agricultural sector and regional industries;
• The science behind activities such as back burning, clearing and rehabilitation;
• The economic impact of vegetation and land management policies, regulations and restrictions;
• The impact of severe fires on the agricultural landscape, agricultural production and industry in regional, rural and remote areas;
• Factors that contribute to fire risk in regional, rural and remote areas; and
• The role the agricultural sector has in working with emergency services and forestry management officials in managing fire risk.

The Committee will be accepting submissions until Friday January 25, 2019.