Applications for landholders to participate in the ballot for the last broadscale clearing of vegetation in Queensland closed last night, Natural Resources Minister Stephen Robertson said today.

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Natural Resources, Mines & Energy, Stephen Robertson
natu...@cabinet.qld.gov.au
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01/09/04

"By close of business, my department had received 836 applications from landholders across Queensland to participate in the ballot to be conducted on 17 September 2004.

"Applications postmarked prior to the ballot closure but still in transit will also be accepted.

"To further assist landholders, we have 92 vegetation management officers working fulltime on the ballot to ensure applications are assessed in a timely manner to allow successful landholders as much time as possible to undertake clearing before the end of 2006."

"An external agency will conduct an audit of the ballot process and the procedures used by my department, to verify the integrity and impartiality of the process.

"All applicants will be notified in writing of the result of the ballot regardless of whether their application was successful or not," he said.

Mr Robertson said the ballot resulted from the State Government's decision to establish a transitional cap of 500,000 hectares to allow limited clearing before broadscale tree clearing ends on 31 December 2006.

"Finalisation of applications lodged prior to the 16 May moratorium is expected to leave approximately 200,000 hectares distributed across seven regions of the state to be decided by the ballot process."

Mr Robertson said the large number of ballot applications received suggests landholders have had sufficient time to prepare and lodge applications.

"The Department wrote to approximately 82,500 landholders throughout Queensland advising them about the new vegetation management laws including the ballot process.

"The ballot has also been widely publicised in the media and on the department website for many months.

"And we have conducted public workshops across the State to advise landholders about the ballot rules and process."

MEDIA: PAUL LYNCH 3896 3689