Cape York station owner refused to accept land-clearing would affect threatened species

Exclusive: Environment minister releases reasons for denying Kingvale station owner Scott Harris permission to clear nearly 2,000 hectares

A landholder's controversial plans to clear almost 2,000 hectares of native vegetation on Queensland's Cape York were denied after he rejected government advice that it would put five threatened species at risk.

Kingvale station owner Scott Harris, who wanted to clear the land for cropping, had also refused to pay for ecological surveys before clearing, according to a detailed statement provided to environmental campaigners by the environment minister, Sussan Ley, and seen by the Guardian.