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JOINT MEDIA RELEASE
FARMERS AND BANKERS CALL ON GOVERNMENTS TO DEVELOP A NATIONAL FRAMEWORK
FOR NATIVE VEGETATION AND BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT
1 June, 2005: The Australian Bankers’ Association (ABA) and National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) today jointly urged Australia’s political leaders to agree to develop an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) for Native Vegetation and Biodiversity Management at the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting this Friday.
Farmers and bankers have agreed on a set of six principles to guide governments in the development of the IGA.
Both groups urge politicians to take a bipartisan approach on this national issue and develop and implement a comprehensive and fair long-term framework for the management of Australia’s native vegetation and biodiversity.
NFF President, Mr Peter Corish, said: “To assist the Commonwealth, States and Territories in coming to the table, understanding the difficult challenges in this area, NFF has made the following refinements to its existing policy:
- NFF will not seek through the IGA to have governments amend or change the objectives of existing native vegetation and biodiversity legislation – for example, NFF is not seeking through the IGA to wind back land clearing controls.
NFF will not seek through the IGA to have governments consider retrospective compensation for the impacts of existing native vegetation and biodiversity legislation.
NFF wants the IGA to provide farmers with greater certainty for investment and the environment and to put in place arrangements to deal with future change fairly and equitably.”
David Bell, Chief Executive of the ABA, said: “In working with farmers to protect biodiversity, governments need to minimise the financial uncertainty of potential regulation so as not to impede the continuing investment by farmers in best practice sustainable use of natural resources which are under their management. The impact of native vegetation regulations on the valuation of property needs to be addressed.”
The six principles are:
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Governments to commit to minimise the financial uncertainty of potential regulation so as not to impede the continuing investment by farmers in best practice sustainable use of natural resources which are under their management.
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Governments to reduce the ‘red tape’ and ensure that implementation of legislation and policies are flexible, efficient and accountable.
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Governments to ensure that agencies are adequately resourced to effectively administer legislation and policies.
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All processes are transparent, consultative and informed by science.
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Assignment of future risk:
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Governments should prepare Regulation Impact Statements (RIS) for all policies, legislation and associated regulations that include an assessment of the problem being targeted, expected costs and benefits of the proposed policy (environmental, social and economic), and an assessment of alternative instruments.
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Changes due to bona fide improvements in science/ knowledge – land owners, State / Territory Governments, and the Australian Government share the risks equally.
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Changes in government policy - landholders to receive direct incentives from government to deliver environmental services including greenhouse savings demanded by the community through the establishment of a national farm environment program.
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Governments to commit significant new funding to regional programmes beyond 2007/ 2008 and undertake an immediate independent review of regional delivery mechanisms.
For further information:
Heather Wellard
ABA Public Relations
Phone: 02 8298 0411
Mobile: 0409 830 439
Mairi Barton
NFF Public Relations
Phone: 02 6273 3855
Mobile: 0408 448 250
ENDS
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