The LNP have flagged amendments to Labor's 2019 Reef Regulations to remove the state's powers to penalise farmers who are accredited under best practice programs.
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Shadow Environment and Great Barrier Reef Minister, Sam O'Connor, said farmers who were signed up to a recognised accreditation program and abide by program guidelines, would be protected from reef regulation penalties if the amendments are passed.
Current reef protection regulations address land-based sources of water pollution to the Great Barrier Reef including industrial and agricultural sources of nutrient and sediment pollution. The six Reef regions include; Cape York, Wet Tropics, Burdekin, Mackay Whitsunday, Fitzroy and Burnett Mary.
"Farmers and landholders are our true environmentalists and this should be acknowledged in law," Mr O'Connor said.
"We are not going to achieve any improvements in water quality if farmers are not valued and respected.
"We can have a more efficient, more productive agricultural sector at the same time as doing all we can to improve water quality in the Great Barrier Reef."
It comes in light of the Katter's Australian Party Reef Regulation Reversal Bill.
Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto said while he welcomed the LNP's move, it indicated to farmers their position on Labor's reef laws.
"Good on them I say - they're showing their hand and finally we know what side of the fence they sit on and it's not on the farmers' side," MP Dametto said.
"I would ask the question, why didn't they put in their own bill? Their amendments omit any repeal of the draconian 2019 legislation and effectively endorses Labor's environmental policy.
"Anyone who's hung their hat on the LNP expecting fairer laws for farmers if they were in government should be gutted by these amendments."
Canegrowers chairman, Paul Schembri, welcomed the parliamentary debate in addition to Katter's Reversal Bill.
"Sugarcane farmers do not shy away from the need to be environmentally responsible and the involvement of 80-percent of the cane area in the voluntary Smartcane BMP program is evidence of that commitment," Mr Schembri said.
He said Canegrowers had continually lobbied against the inaccurate assumptions and modelling on which the regulations are based.
"We have done this while also supporting and encouraging innovation and change in the industry as growers strive to remain profitable while doing all they reasonably can to secure the health of the reef," Mr Schembri said.
"We stand by the fact that industry-driven programs, such as Smartcane BMP, which work with growers are the pathway to continual improvement - not the big stick of government red tape."
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Zoe Thomas
Northern based journalist at North Queensland Register and Queensland Country Life.
Northern based journalist at North Queensland Register and Queensland Country Life.
