Government to review forest practices regulations

The state government will review forest practices regulations for farmers and landowners.

The announcement was made in parliament as more than a dozen farmers, calling for a reduction in red tape and regulations, watched from the public gallery.

Headed up by Redbanks owner Lindsay White, the Farmers and Landowners Action Group (FLAG) was formed after primary producer William Farlie Fergusson was fined $100,000 after pleading guilty to unauthorised tree clearing on his family’s Grindstone Bay farm near Triabunna.

This led to a grassroots movement of farmers opposed to the regulations imposed by the Forest Practices Authority and other government departments.

Will Bignell, a farmer from Bothwell, said he had experienced uncertainty about what he is and is not allowed to do on his land.

“The process that we’ve seen applied to the Fergussons really scares me,” Mr Bignall said.

“I’m not saying we should be able to clear and do whatever we want, but we need to be able to talk to someone about what we want to do and come up with a proactive response.

“And in agriculture, I think offsetting is the best technique.

“That dialogue of coming up with a practical solution has been replaced with a litigious response.”

Oatlands farmer Ben Fish said red tape had become frustrating for him.

“It’s just getting harder and harder to do anything,” Mr Fish said.

“The government just wants to strangle us down.”

Mr Fish said there needed to be a change in regulations.

“We should be able to clear certain bits of ground if we want.

“We’ve offered to offset some ground in the past, but they won’t let you do that.”

Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Lyons MP Carlo Di Falco put forward a matter of public importance in the Lower House of Tasmanian Parliament.

“The growing concern across regional and rural Tasmania is that the administration and enforcement approach of the Forest Practices Authority is losing community confidence,” Mr Di Falco said.

“The farming and landowner community is clearly saying enough is enough.

“When did we become a state that penalises and restricts family farms from doing what they have been doing for generations?

“We have people in offices in Hobart making up rules to impose on regional Tasmanians that have never relied on growing crops or raising livestock to provide for their families.”

Business, Industry and Resources Minister Felix Ellis said that it was important to keep farmers in mind when setting out regulations.

“The court case has highlighted some frustrations and concerns from a range of farmers right across our state who need to interact with forest practices regulations and the Forest Practices Authority,” Mr Ellis said.

“The rules, at times, can be complex, difficult to understand, and at certain times, unclear and contradictory.

“An example was raised with me of farmers who had owned a property for generations, and the land was previously cleared right to the river.

“They are now seeking to plant trees along that riparian zone, and they can’t do it, or are concerned about how they will do it with the red tape that is involved.”

Mr Ellis said the review of forest practices regulations would include public consultation.

“This will be an important process because we need to ensure that the forest practices regulations are user-friendly, and the feedback that we’ve had from farmers is that it’s not meeting that goal.

“They need to get the balance right when it comes to supporting farmers to manage their properties.”