The Great Barrier Reef is often described as one of the seven natural wonders of the world, and its welfare has been front and centre of global, national and state public policy for decades.
In 2009, then-Queensland Premier Anna Bligh signed an agreement with the federal Environment Minister at the time, Peter Garrett to protect the reef as a new report warned of declines in significant species and outbreaks of disease.
The report identified climate change, continued declining water quality from catchment run-off, loss of coastal habitats from development and impacts from fishing and illegal fishing as the key issues.
The Bligh government also brought in the Great Barrier Reef Protection Amendment Bill 2009 (Qld), aimed at regulating sugar cane growing and cattle grazing in three catchments - the Wet Tropics, Mackay-Whitsunday and the Burdekin Dry Tropics.
LNP Sustainable Environment and Climate Change spokesman David Gibson responded with a theme that has become common in recent years, that the government should support the federal government's approach of stakeholder partnership in the Reef Rescue program, rather than resort to regulation.
He also said the Reef Rescue plan should be extended to tourism, shipping, sewerage and other human activities that impact on the reef.
A decade on
Fast forward a decade and the Palaszczuk government introduced the Environmental Protection (Great Barrier Reef Protection Measures) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2019, which introduced regulation on industries, primarily agriculture, to reduce the amount of pollutants, nutrients and sediment in the so-called reef lagoon between the outer reef and the coastline.
That extended the government focus for regulation to six reef catchments - adding the Fitzroy, Burnett-Mary and Eastern Cape York, setting load limits for sediment and nutrient across 35 sub-catchments.
The bill became law despite strong criticism from opposition parties of all flavours and despite protracted industry lobbying.
Burdekin MP Dale Last warned that it would have the biggest impact on farmers in the history of the state, and controversial marine scientist Professor Peter Ridd, who had spoken out about the reliability of the science being used regarding reef health, maintained the regulations were based on flawed, unchecked science.
"The Great Barrier Reef is sparkling and pristine," Dr Ridd said. "It is not damaged, or dying or under any threat from Queensland farmers."
Division emerges
In the 18 months since the legislation was enacted, although all opposition parties agree that the laws demonise farmers for political gain, they have become divided on how to respond on behalf of their constituents.
The LNP moved a disallowance motion, supported by KAP, NQ First and Independent MP Sandy Bolton, but the government voted against it, along with the Greens MP.
The LNP's Callide MP Colin Boyce sensationally crossed the floor of parliament in 2020 to vote against an amendment bill his party voted in favour of.
The bill contained a mixture of mining and agriculture provisions, including a provision to appoint a rehabilitation commissioner to oversee the clearing up of land used for mining.
In turn, farmers would be relieved of the burden to report their activities to the same end as mining companies.
David Crisafulli was the opposition Great Barrier Reef spokesman at the time and said the amendment was welcome, as under the original changes to the reef quality legislation, individual landholders were asked to conduct paperwork to the same level as a mining entity.
However, Mr Boyce said he couldn't support the bill, citing concerns with attaching requirements for an environmental authority for cropping and horticulture activities, and joined KAP, NQ First and PHON in voting against it.
Private Member's bill
KAP MP representing the Hinchinbrook electorate, Nick Dametto introduced a Private Member's bill to repeal the legislation in 2021, claiming his party was standing in support of Queensland farmers, and challenged the LNP to support them.
Mr Boyce has since announced his intention to do so, but the LNP has announced amendments to the KAP bill instead.
Environment spokesman Sam O'Connor said it was not the way to fix the reef regulations.
"It could lead to worse outcomes not only for growers but for our reef," he said.
"The independent regulator they've proposed is a big red flag.
"This person would have extraordinary powers and they could use these to crackdown harder on producers.
"We do agree with the moves to reduce the fines but our amendment is a much better way to do this.
"Under the Katter bill, large fines are still a possibility whereas under our amendments they could not be issued at all to BMP-accredited growers."
The LNP amendment would mean if a grower is signed up to a Best Management Practice program and following it, they can't be hit with the huge fines in the regulations.
They also call for a massive increase in funding by the state government to BMPs, saying the two elements combined would send a clear message to growers that if they were signed up to a BMP program and following it, they wouldn't face any prosecution from the government over reef regulations.
Under the Canegrowers' Smartcane BMP, 83 per cent of Queensland's cane area is managed by BMP growers.
'Scrap the laws, don't amend': KAP
However, Mr Dametto said that from the outset, farmers have called for the scrapping of the 2019 legislation and even those who are BMP-approved have demanded a reduction in red and green tape.
Mr Dametto said the LNP was trying to tack on amendments that would incentivise growers to adopt BMP by granting them immunity from Department of Environment and Science inspectors if - and only if - they were adhering to the BMP standards, which he said was above and beyond the ALP's regulations.
"The LNP's attempted amendments do nothing to free farmers from the reef regulations that are suffocating them and, in fact, endorses Labor's overreach," he said.
Colin Boyce, who is the LNP candidate for the federal seat of Flynn in the forthcoming election, reiterated his position as defending the agricultural sector.
He told parliament last week he wanted to bring some sense to the debate, presenting a number of statements made in questioning at the Senate inquiry into the scientific basis for the reef regulations.
He also said the state government's actions had damaged the image of the reef internationally and therefore the state's $6b tourism industry.
"Only the reversal of this damaging legislation can solve it," he said.
Katter wedge
Transport Minister Mark Bailey is among those claiming the KAP bill is a Katter wedge on the LNP.
Speaking in parliament last week, he said they were "doing a pretty good job of it".
"Tactically, they seem to be on the right track in terms of their objective to cannibalise the LNP in North Queensland," he said, to which Mr Dametto objected.
The government remains a spectator to the debate, with Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon saying that the reforms they implemented in 2019, and the grants to help farmers adopt new technologies and become more sustainable in the process, were bearing fruit.
"Close to 700 growers having become fully accredited in these programs, while another 1600 are going through that process to also become accredited," she said.
"The Reef Water Quality Report Card 2019 released last year shows the quality of water flowing to the Great Barrier Reef continues to improve thanks to better farming practices.
"These results and what farmers have been able to achieve shows that these reforms are working, and to backtrack on them is a kick in the guts to industry and farmers who have made huge strides."
Ms Scanlon said because the reef was such a large part of regional Queensland's economy, any lowering of standards would put businesses and jobs at risk.
She also said that with the UNESCO World Heritage Committee running its eyes over the reef in the lead-up to deciding whether to declare it in danger, the last thing Queensland businesses and jobs needed was waxing and waning from politicians.
"Yet, what we've seen from the LNP is a fracture in their ranks, and mixed messages about reef regulations."
Mr Dametto commented that the current reef regulations were a PR stunt that enabled the ALP to say it was saving the reef, and were also a mechanism for the federal coalition government to comply with the environmental demands of UNESCO.
The vote on the repeal bill is expected to go through the Queensland Parliament next week.
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