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17 June 2002 Governments
should encourage more private Leading regional business organisation, Champions of the Bush, has called on state and federal governments to encourage greater private-sector participation in implementing solutions that achieve sustainable land use. Champions believe that pooled development funds, companies and landholders will invest more in environmental works if a structured program of incentives can be offered. The group's chairman, John Brown, said successful pilot programs had paved the way, but little had been done to continue these on a bigger scale. Mr Brown was responding to remarks made by the Murray Darling Basin Commission's acting chief executive Kevin Goss at a national salinity forum in Rutherglen, Victoria, on Wednesday (June 12). Mr Goss said a bigger effort should be made to attract private capital for environmental projects. He cited the forestry industry, which he said would invest in new geographic areas if there were appropriate incentives and infrastructure support. Mr Brown endorsed these remarks, saying that commercial plantations could be established more widely to help achieve national salinity targets. "Governments need to look at providing infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, to enable the farm forestry industry to expand," he said. "Tax incentives should also be looked at to encourage new industries that deliver environmental benefits. "The current approach relies too heavily on direct government grants, and we're seeing those diminish as funds from the sale of Telstra dry up." At the landholder level, Mr Brown said there had been several successful pilot programs, including a bush tender trial and farm planning subsidies in North East Victoria. "These programs reward landholders for undertaking works that increase biodiversity or deliver other positive outcomes for the environment," he said. "They're based on the principle that farmers shouldn't be out of pocket if they fence off parts of their property to protect native vegetation, plant native grasses, etc. "The phrase has been coined that 'you can't be green if you're in the red'. Most landholders are anxious to do their part for environmental change, but need encouragement. "The programs trialled so far have been well received and should be expanded. "A similar principle should also apply to attracting large-scale commercial investment in environmental projects that ultimately will benefit all Australians."
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