THE Queensland State Government has launched a review of the state’s century-old Brands Act, and will be inviting submissions from stakeholders.

Queensland, along with the Northern Territory, are the only two Australian jurisdictions remaining where branding of stock is mandatory.

A roundtable involving livestock industry stakeholders and government will be convened by the Primary Industries Minister today, to consult on and discuss Queensland’s livestock branding and earmarking requirements for cattle and pigs.

The 1915 Brands Act, which has remained largely unchanged for decades, regulates branding and earmarking of livestock in the state.

Under an earlier Labor State Government, a Brands Act review produced no substantive outcome.

“It’s vital that we take the time to consult with Queensland’s livestock industry to ensure any changes reflect the modern needs of today’s producers,” Primary Industries Minister Tony Perrett said.

“The livestock industry plays a critical role in Queensland’s economy, and we will work with them to ensure livestock branding and earmarking requirements are suitable for producers and rural communities.

“Labor spent years stringing out a review, hid the views of the industry in inaccessible cabinet documents and left the industry in limbo,” he said.

“Primary producers deserve updated legislation that keeps pace with a modern industry.”

Under current legislation brands and earmarks may be used to identify the owner of livestock, but the registered owner of the brand is not always the current owner of the animal. Brands are only compulsory for cattle above 100kg liveweight when they are being sold or offered for sale.

Queensland’s Crisafulli Government has produced a 25-year blueprint Primary Industries Prosper 2050 plan, which was developed to streamline and energise the industry through “the largest stakeholder collaboration primary industry seen in at least a decade,” the government said in a statement.

The Brands Act review is a part of that process.

Click here to find out more about Queensland’s current livestock branding and earmarking requirements.