Donato accuses Nationals of backflip on Native Vegetation Act

The Native Vegetation Act governs how farmers manage the vegetation on their properties, what they can legally remove and requirements for vegetation replacement, which us aimed at limiting land clearing and protecting remaining wildlife habitat.

The Nationals’ petition claimed native vegetation laws treated farmers like second-class citizens on their land and asked for support to “put an end to the debilitating Native Vegetation Act”.

However, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers candidate for the seat of Orange Phil Donato said it was a backflip on 2014 when the party lodged legislation drafted by NSW Farmers to limit the act to indigenous species and The Nationals voted it down.

“It’s a disingenuous attempt by the National party to secure constituents, which they’ve left abandoned for the past several years, for the byelection,” Mr Donato said.

At the time, Nationals minister Duncan Gay put forward amendments to the legislation, claiming the Shooters and Fishers’ proposal would have made the act unworkable but the amendments were voted down, followed by the entire bill, and a review was put into place.

“What the Nationals were proposing wasn’t going to work and we’re still waiting for the review and the report,” Mr Donato said. 

However, Nationals candidate for Orange Scott Barrett said it was rushed legislation and pointed out the Shooters and Fishers had made a preference deal with Labor, which introduced the act in the first place.

“Is that predicated on some support on native veg for the Labor stance?” he said.

Mr Barrett said The Nationals were now working with NSW Farmers on a solution and it was important to achieve genuine environmental outcomes rather than locking up land for the sake of it.