THEATRICALITY returned to the South Gippsland Shire Council chambers on Wednesday, with Councillor Scott Rae renewing his passion for props, this time sporting a wig as he drew attention to concerns about the negative impacts of some environmental planting schemes.
“Many of you may have noticed I’ve undertaken a revegetation program, and I would like to highlight not all revegetation programs are a good idea in my opinion,” he declared before attacking the loss of valuable productive farming land caused by some environmental planting initiatives.
“Carbon plantings and covenants are forever,” he said, contrasting that with “previous failed forestry schemes” where the timber was harvestable.
While acknowledging covenants and tree plantings have a place in the right situations, such as at RAMSAR listed wetlands, he said that is not the case when it forever excludes agriculture from farmable land, ultimately leaving a legacy of weeds, pests and fences to be replaced.
Cr Rae stressed the States are effectively supporting a reduction of farmland “by waiving land tax on covenant properties”.
He posed the question of what we should eat in the future, labelling locking up productive land in perpetuity for unproductive uses as “treason”.
Cr Rae stressed agriculture is South Gippsland Shire’s biggest employer, arguing against chequebook-based acquisition and removal from the production of food and fibre land.
Politicians from State and Federal Governments were invited to join him for a cup of tea and a chat about his concerns, with the colourful councillor partial to a lemon and ginger tea with a bit of local honey.
