Environmental Planning Policy

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Speakers - Collins The Hon Peter; Yeadon Mr Kim
Business - Questions Without Notice

QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

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ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING POLICY

Mr COLLINS: I address my question to the Minister for Land and Water Conservation. Does the implementation of State environmental planning policy 46 mean that, for the first time in the State's history, farmers will be forced to pay for the right to manage their own properties or face fines of up to $100,000 for clearing more than seven trees per hectare? Has SEPP 46 and the Minister's lack of consultation caused widespread outrage among New South Wales farmers, and will he assure them that his policy will be amended?

[Interruption]

Mr SPEAKER: Order! Members of the Opposition front bench will listen in silence to the Minister's response.

Mr YEADON: Little wonder there is so much discussion in the back rooms of the Liberal Party about the fate of the Leader of the Opposition's future and his position, if that is the best he can come up with after two weeks off from Parliament.

Mr SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Gosford to order.

Mr YEADON: All he is becoming is just a mouthpiece for the National Party ratbags that sit behind him.

Mr SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Bega to order.

Mr YEADON: He cannot even come up with a question dealing with his own area of responsibility. His question, which has a little misalliance to it, is the best he can come up with. No wonder the honourable member for Lane Cove has a big smile on her face. The Government introduced SEPP 46 as an interim measure whilst it undertakes full consultation in relation to what is going to be appropriate land clearing controls in New South Wales in the longer term. SEPP 46 is an interim measure. There is a very good reason why the Government introduced that measure.

Mr SPEAKER: Order! I call the honourable member for Burrinjuck to order.

Mr YEADON: Experience in other States shows that as soon as any discussion arises about land clearing and native vegetation controls there has been a rash of speculative land clearing. Queensland and South Australia are classic examples of that. The Government needed to introduce an interim measure to ensure that a small minority of irresponsible people on the land did not go out and engage in that type of activity. There is a clear four-phased approach in the Government's reform in relation to native vegetation control. The first - introduction of SEPP 46 - has been undertaken. The second phase, currently in train, is for a full period of consultation to be undertaken over the next 12 to 18 months with all interested parties - a native vegetation forum in New South Wales - and that has been set up.

Mr SPEAKER: Order! I call the honourable member for Murrumbidgee to order.

Mr YEADON: At the conclusion of that phase, in the third phase the Government will take into account all the submissions and views that have been put by interest groups, by individuals, or by anyone who wants to place a submission before the native vegetation forum.

Mr SPEAKER: Order! I call the honourable member for Murrumbidgee to order for the second time. I call the honourable member for Ermington to order.

Mr YEADON: The final phase of the Government's approach to this reform process will be an ongoing and permanent arrangement to protect native vegetation. This is only an interim measure, as the Government has made clear from the outset. It is not a blanket ban on land clearing in New South Wales. Two hectares of land can be broadacre cleared without an application having to be made. The State environmental planning policy contains 12 exemptions that will allow farmers to carry on with sound farm management in the meantime.

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Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is far too much audible conversation and there are far too many interjections from both sides of the House. The Minister's response will be heard in silence. The Leader of the Opposition, who has asked the question, and the Chair are having difficulty hearing the answer.

Mr YEADON: The Government's approach is characterised by balance and consultation, and ultimately this State will have a native vegetation protection regime that will be in the best interests of all the people in this State, including those in rural New South Wales.

Mr SPEAKER: Order! I call the honourable member for Baulkham Hills to order.

Mr YEADON: The Government's policy relates to sustainable agriculture in this State and ensuring that people on the land have a viable future and can hand their properties over to their children, comfortable in the knowledge that their children will have a sustainable economic future on that land, as will their children. That is very important to this Government. When the coalition was in government it pandered to sectional interests and disregarded members of the rural community; it did not give a damn about them. It did nothing. I have travelled extensively throughout New South Wales since becoming Minister. Opposition members may laugh, but ironically whenever I visit rural New South Wales people tell me they are delighted to see a Minister in their area.

Mr SPEAKER: Order! I call the honourable member for Ermington to order for the second time.

Mr YEADON: They were never visited by a Minister from the previous Government. The honourable member for Upper Hunter is often referred to personally in this regard.

Mr SPEAKER: Order! I call the honourable member for Baulkham Hills to order for the second time.

Mr YEADON: When I visit rural New South Wales people say to me, "Good on you Minister for dealing with these issues, because they are long overdue." They say, "The previous Government never had the guts to do it; they pandered to sectional interests. It is great to see that somebody is finally doing their job."

Mr SPEAKER: Order! The behaviour of members during the response by the Minister to the first question of questions without notice is unacceptable. Generally speaking, a degree of leniency is extended to members during question time. However, on some occasions the Chair insists on the strict adherence by members to the forms and procedures of the House. This is one of those occasions. Those members who have been called to order on one occasion already are now deemed to be on three calls to order.

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