Land clearing in Queensland

In January 2004, Premier Beattie announced a major pre-election promise: the phasing out of broadscale clearing of remnant (mature) vegetation by December 2006. This article evaluates the resultant policy changes, and, in particular, the initial stages in the implementation of the state’s financial commitment to landholders. Amendments to the Vegetation Management Act 1999 (Qld) were meant to bring certainty to the agricultural community. This article concludes however, that some tensions continue and reflect the underlying problem of interfering with property rights.