Put simply, to apply to clear vegetation in Queensland, it needs to be considered for a ‘relevant purpose’ under the legislation. Queensland vegetation management laws prescribe certain activities as relevant purposes for clearing applications.
Notably, a vegetation clearing application cannot be considered a relevant purpose if the clearing is proposed in a category C or category R – both regrowth vegetation communities.
Let that sink in a little bit. It is easier (in many cases), to clear vegetation in an area which has never been cleared (i.e. remnant), than it is in previously cleared areas. In fact, so much so, that you cannot even make an application to clear category C or R vegetation, even though it would be possible to clear as category B (remnant).
We acknowledge that this is a little bit simplistic, but it holds true. We are fully aware that there are Accepted Development Vegetation Clearing Codes which permit clearing for certain reasons, however, do these go far enough? In some cases, this is surely likely to result in potentially worse environmental outcomes.
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