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Shadow Natural Resources Minister, Andrew Cripps, will visit Bundaberg to attend a public rally with farmers and landowners to protest against the Palaszczuk Government’s proposed changes to Queensland’s vegetation management framework.

Mr Cripps will attend the public rally today (Wednesday) and speak at the AgForce South East Queensland conference tomorrow (Thursday), to address delegates on the anti-agriculture, anti-rural policies of the Palaszczuk Government.

“Labor is captured by the Greens and seems hell-bent on anti-economic development policies that will hurt regional communities, including the Bundaberg/Burnett region, where agriculture is a key industry and employer,” Mr Cripps said.

“Labor’s plan to overturn the former LNP Government’s sensible and balanced vegetation management reforms will deny Queensland’s farmers and landowners the opportunity to sustainably grow their agricultural businesses.”

Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett welcomed Mr Cripps to the Bundaberg/Burnett region and said he strongly believed the current vegetation management framework developed by the former LNP Government in 2013 needed to stay in place.

“The LNP is committed to defending high value agriculture approvals, securing regrowth vegetation for freehold property owners and treating landholders with fairness – including the farmers in our Bundaberg and Burnett region,” Mr Bennett said.

“Given the Palaszczuk Government’s proposed legislation is retrospective and seeks to reinstate the reversal of the onus of proof, I assure the people of Bundaberg and Burnett that the LNP will fight to prevent farmers and landholders being treated like criminals.”

Mr Cripps said the complete failure of Bundaberg MP and Agriculture Minister, Leanne Donaldson, to do anything to protect Queensland’s farmers and landowners from being targeted by Labor’s unfair and unnecessary bill was a disgrace.

“Leanne Donaldson should be ashamed of herself – she has stayed silent while Deputy Premier Jackie Trad and Environment Minister Steven Miles have trampled all over the property rights and future opportunities of Queensland’s agriculture sector.

“The Palaszczuk Government’s Vegetation Management (Reinstatement) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill has been introduced without any proper consultation, any compensation, or any common sense and the LNP will vigorously oppose it.”

ENDS