Moratorium On Clearing Of Endangered Regrowth

David Nicholls, Partner

The Bligh government has followed through on an election promise and initiated a three-month moratorium on clearing regrowth vegetation from 8 April 2009. The primary stakeholders affected are, landowners (in particular graziers and developers), and the conservation movement. While the clearance ban affects landholders across the State, the most affected regions are rural areas and the Great Barrier Reef catchment areas.

The government claims the moratorium was put into place to prevent landowners from wholesale 'panic' clearing, and on 23 April 2009 passed the Vegetation Management (Regrowth Clearing Moratorium) Bill 2009. The Vegetation Management Bill (the Bill) was fast tracked as the government's first priority in the new Parliament, and effectively puts the breaks on clearing to allow the government 'breathing space' to determine how regrowth with high conservation value can be better protected in the future. The Bill which now awaits