Extract from The Guardian
Former Labor MP Billy Gordon announces he will not support the measures, in surprise move that hands minority Palaszczuk government its first defeat
The Palaszczuk government will suffer its first major legislative defeat after its former backbencher-turned-independent Billy Gordon revealed his opposition to tree-clearing reforms, just hours before a parliamentary vote on the bill.
Gordon announced on Thursday he would block the bill to restore clearing controls over concerns including barriers to Indigenous economic development. His statement blindsided government figures who had been confident of his support.
The Cook MP had been under strong pressure from influential constituents in Cape York to oppose Labor’s bill, according to a parliamentary colleague.
Gordon said in a statement that he did not support current laws, put in place by the former Newman government in 2013, which wound back clearing restrictions.
“Broadscale tree clearing is not in the best interest of Cook,” he said.
But Gordon was of the “firm view that the proposed vegetation management reforms don’t strike the necessary balance between Indigenous economic development, protecting the environment and supporting our farmers”.
This followed “months of consultation with a variety of people, groups and organisations around my electorate, and those adjacent areas to the Cook electorate”, he said.
“I continue to commit to working with the government and encourage them to continue to work with all stakeholders to find the balance, which I know is out there and attainable.”
In the hung parliament and with the Liberal National opposition and two Katter party MPs opposing the clearing reforms, the government needed Gordon’s support and a casting vote from the independent Speaker, Peter Wellington.
It is the first time the government, which holds a parliamentary majority only with the support of crossbenchers Wellington, Gordon and Rob Pyne, will be unable to pass its own tabled legislation.
Gordon’s opposition comes despite the government announcing a review of the separate Cape York Heritage Act under which Indigenous communities have provisions to clear for projects, although applications have never been made.
The government has raised concerns that without restoring controls for clearing – a key plank of its lobbying of Unesco not to list the Great Barrier Reef in danger – Unesco could reconsider as early as next year.
Clearing in Queensland has doubled since 2011 to almost 300,000 hectares a year, more than half of this in reef catchments. Scientists have claimed an “overwhelming consensus” among environmental experts on the need for the laws. Australia’s biggest philanthropist has warned private investment for reef conservation projects may dry up if the clearing bill were defeated.
Fanny Douvere, the marine programme coordinator at Unesco, told Guardian Australia this week she could not comment on how the tree clearing regime in Queensland would affect Australia’s progress on its 2050 reef conservation plan.
“We are expecting a progress report from the government of Australia by 1 December 2016 that covers all aspects of the progress made under the Reef 2050 as well as the financial strategy to implement the plan,” she said.
“The World Heritage Centre and IUCN [International Union for Conservation of Nature] will review the overall progress and all issues related to it in its entirety and we are not in a position at this stage to comment on this issue.”
Gordon announced on Thursday he would block the bill to restore clearing controls over concerns including barriers to Indigenous economic development. His statement blindsided government figures who had been confident of his support.
The Cook MP had been under strong pressure from influential constituents in Cape York to oppose Labor’s bill, according to a parliamentary colleague.
Gordon said in a statement that he did not support current laws, put in place by the former Newman government in 2013, which wound back clearing restrictions.
“Broadscale tree clearing is not in the best interest of Cook,” he said.
But Gordon was of the “firm view that the proposed vegetation management reforms don’t strike the necessary balance between Indigenous economic development, protecting the environment and supporting our farmers”.
This followed “months of consultation with a variety of people, groups and organisations around my electorate, and those adjacent areas to the Cook electorate”, he said.
“I continue to commit to working with the government and encourage them to continue to work with all stakeholders to find the balance, which I know is out there and attainable.”
In the hung parliament and with the Liberal National opposition and two Katter party MPs opposing the clearing reforms, the government needed Gordon’s support and a casting vote from the independent Speaker, Peter Wellington.
It is the first time the government, which holds a parliamentary majority only with the support of crossbenchers Wellington, Gordon and Rob Pyne, will be unable to pass its own tabled legislation.
Gordon’s opposition comes despite the government announcing a review of the separate Cape York Heritage Act under which Indigenous communities have provisions to clear for projects, although applications have never been made.
The government has raised concerns that without restoring controls for clearing – a key plank of its lobbying of Unesco not to list the Great Barrier Reef in danger – Unesco could reconsider as early as next year.
Clearing in Queensland has doubled since 2011 to almost 300,000 hectares a year, more than half of this in reef catchments. Scientists have claimed an “overwhelming consensus” among environmental experts on the need for the laws. Australia’s biggest philanthropist has warned private investment for reef conservation projects may dry up if the clearing bill were defeated.
Fanny Douvere, the marine programme coordinator at Unesco, told Guardian Australia this week she could not comment on how the tree clearing regime in Queensland would affect Australia’s progress on its 2050 reef conservation plan.
“We are expecting a progress report from the government of Australia by 1 December 2016 that covers all aspects of the progress made under the Reef 2050 as well as the financial strategy to implement the plan,” she said.
“The World Heritage Centre and IUCN [International Union for Conservation of Nature] will review the overall progress and all issues related to it in its entirety and we are not in a position at this stage to comment on this issue.”
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