Policy Engagement

THE aim of the Policy Engagement Activity Area is to facilitate better landholder engagement in relevant policy development and implementation in the Bowen, Broken and Bogie (BBB) catchments.

A great example of how the LDC project can coordinate engagement between government and landholders on policy and regulatory issues arose in 2017 with the State Government’s release of the proposed Reef Protection Regulations and Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS).

The LDC project panel organised and facilitated a workshop in December 2017 involving graziers, DEHP (now DES) staff and NQ Dry Tropics staff. Approximately 24 people participated in the workshop.

The aim of the workshop was two-fold:

  1. Outline the proposed Great Barrier Reef protection regulation package and RIS, and;
  2. Seek feedback from graziers in the BBB catchment on the proposed regulation package, the RIS and, in particular, how the Queensland Government could best implement the proposed regulatory package.

As a result, the LDC project panel prepared a submission, focused on the proposed grazing standards. The LDC project supported graziers to better understand regulatory requirements so they could review and comment on the proposed regulations during public consultation.

Discussion paper

IN March 2017, the Queensland Government released the Enhancing regulations to ensure clean water for a health Great Barrier Reef and a prosperous Queensland discussion paper for feedback. The paper outlined a number of proposals to enhance the existing reef protection regulations to reduce nutrient and sediment pollution across key industries in Great Barrier Reef catchments.

Feedback from the discussion paper helped refine the regulatory proposals and preparation of a regulatory impact statement (RIS) which was released for public consultation for a period of 11 weeks in total, closing on 19 February 2018.

For further information on the Queensland Government’s Reef Regulations: