As Queensland and rest of the country continue to manage the devastation of drought, the Federal LNP Coalition Government has stumped up even more funds to fight feral pests and weeds*.
At the same time the Palaszczuk Labor Government is again paralysed in inaction when it comes to extra drought support, especially when it comes to managing pest and weeds.
Liberal National Party Shadow Minister for Agriculture Tony Perrett said the Palaszczuk Labor Government was failing to properly respond to the state’s worsening drought situation.
“Despite the deteriorating drought, all Labor can commit to is cutting freight subsidies for essential fodder and water from July 1 next year, saving them $50 million over the forward estimates.
“While the Federal LNP is ramping up its assistance to farmers and their communities, Queensland Labor continues to ignore practical support like assistance with managing pests and weeds and instead just cuts support.
“Cutting drought support during drought is a disgrace and quite rightly needs to be called out.
“While Queensland loses the battle against pest and weeds in this state, Labor Minister Mark Furner continues to play politics with rural and regional Queensland.
“This is the same Palaszczuk Minister who committed $5 million of state funding to match the federal government’s commitment to tackle the spread of prickly acacia, and then did not provide the funding after the federal election.
“This is the same Minister that politically sanitised a three-year inquiry into invasive weeds in Queensland to ensure Labor didn’t have to spend anymore money on rural and regional areas.
“There is something deeply unsettling about the Palaszczuk Labor Government’s blatant failure to uphold its obligations to the management of the state’s drought support, pest, weeds and biosecurity obligations.
“This is yet another example of the Palaszczuk Labor Government’s anti-farmer and anti-regions agenda.
“It is time for Labor to stop cutting support and to start funding the assistance our drought affected communities need.”
* $10 million extra to combat feral animals and weeds: https://minister.agriculture.gov.au/littleproud/media-releases/%2410m-feral-animals-weeds
