Incentives for sustainable management
QRAA (formerly the Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority) is the administering authority for many incentive schemes relating to sustainable land and water management. The Department of Environment and Resource Management provides advice on technical matters and policy direction related to a number of these schemes.
The following schemes currently provide incentives for sustainable property management.
Primary Industries Productivity Enhancement Scheme (PIPES)
Under PIPES, resource management loans provide non means-tested finance to cover capital costs associated with managing natural resources. These loans give landholders the financial means to carry out activities which include:
- establishing additional water points so that pasture resources are used more effectively to:
- reduce the distance stock have to travel to water
- improve water quality for domestic, stock and irrigation purposes
- prevent soil erosion and degradation
- managing and recycling effluent
- reclaiming degraded areas
- fencing for landcare purposes
- controlling exotic weeds and animals
- managing vegetation.
Tax deductions or rebates
Under the Income Tax Assessment Acts 1936 and 1997, the Commonwealth government gives primary producers taxation incentives for landcare activities including:
- fencing to separate land classes to control degradation
- providing water-supply facilities and conveying equipment
- planting trees
- eradicating pests and weeds.
Useful links
- QRAA
- Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry Australia
- Landcare Tax Incentives NLP
- Land management fact sheets
- Natural Resource Management Incentives Database
Last updated: 14 October 2009