Stock route management framework
During the severe drought conditions of 2002–03 very high levels of usage of Queensland’s stock route network were experienced. Following this, users and managers of the stock route network brought several operational and policy issues to the attention of the department.
This occurred around the same time as the Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002 commenced.
In this new legislation, the Land Protection Council was established to advise the Minister on pest and stock route management matters. Accordingly, the Minister requested the newly formed Land Protection Council to provide recommendations on how to resolve issues and generally improve the management and use of the stock route network.
Extensive consultation followed involving many and varied stakeholders, particularly AgForce Queensland, the Local Government Association of Queensland and the Department of Environment and Natural Resource Management. Others representing drovers and stockowners were also involved.
This work culminated in the development of the following series of recommendations which were then presented to the Minister for Natural Resources and Water in late 2006:
- use of the stock route network is managed so as to support bona fide travelling stock as its primary function
- pursuing a vision of an unencumbered stock route network i.e. free of unauthorised long-term static grazing
- reclassifying the stock route network by identifying the core network of stock routes for travel. An annual process whereby public submissions are sought will be used to ensure the network is managed to meet the foreseeable needs of the pastoral industry.
- stock route water infrastructure is to be managed to support bona fide travelling stock, and, where the capacity exists, to accommodate use by other parties to offset maintenance and management costs
- developing an appropriate travelling stock and agistment fee structure that reflects the costs of management and the level of benefit gained from the differing types of use occurring
- endorsing the user pays principle for grazing across the entire stock route network and relevant lands
- local governments continue to manage the stock route network in each local government area, with support from dedicated, regional DERM stock route officers
- developing a protocol to allow for all permissions to travel and agist on the stock route network to be issued by local government, including the ability to issue longer term grazing permits on non-essential parts of the network
- forming a Stock Route Assessment Panel to oversee the stock route rationalisation process, and, to provide recommendations on stock route fees and charges. The SRAP is to comprise representatives from DERM, local government, the cattle industry and the Land Protection Council.
The Minister, satisfied the recommendations would adequately provide for the future requirements of travelling stock, recently approved the implementation of the Land Protection Council’s recommendations.
Changes will be made through the drafting of new stock route legislation. This complements 2007 Machinery of Government (MoG) changes surrounding the creation of the single Biosecurity agency under the Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries banner. As Land Protection staff have migrated to Biosecurity Queensland, so too has the administration of the pest management provisions of the Land Protection Act.
Last updated: 14 May 2009