Document Index 1999-2000 Ministerial Statements Investing in our Natural and Cultural Heritage Chapter 4

FERAL ANIMALS AND WEEDS

• Weeds
  • National Weeds Programme
• Plant Pest Eradication
• Feral Animal Control
• Animal and Plant Quarantine Policy
• Cooperative Research Centres

Weeds

Weeds are distributed widely throughout Australia. They comprise a diverse group of invasive species, which affect both the natural environment and primary production. The Commonwealth will provide $5.4 million in 1999-2000 to implement, together with the States and Territories, key elements of the National Weeds Strategy.

National Weeds Programme

Through working with all levels of government, industry and the community, the National Weeds Programme seeks to:

• develop integrated strategic approaches to reduce the impact of weeds of national significance;
• prevent the introduction of new pest plants through revised quarantine assessment procedures; and
• assess the potential of existing pest plants to become weeds of national significance.

Specific outcomes of the Programme include:

• the implementation of a quarantine assessment procedure to prevent new pest plant introductions. Two tiers of the procedure have been developed and implemented in the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service. The third tier, relating to post-entry growth trials, is currently being developed;
• the production and implementation of cost-effective, strategic-management plans for weeds of national significance. Guiding principles on the process for determining weeds of national significance have been finalised and 74 weed species nominated by the States and Territories have been assessed using the criteria. Endorsement of the inaugural list of weeds of national significance is being sought from the Ministerial Councils responsible for Agriculture, Environment and Forests. Once announced, strategic management plans for these weeds will be developed. The goal of these plans will be to reduce the impact of weeds of national significance to an extent where management by the appropriate State or Territory Governments is possible; and
• improved public awareness of issues relating to weeds of national significance.

Contact: Environment Australia, Biodiversity Group -- 02 6274 2388

Contact: Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Australia -- 02 6272 3872

Plant Pest Eradication

The plant pest eradication programmes help maintain international market access through the eradication of exotic plant pests, weeds and diseases. These programmes are a shared responsibility of the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments.

On the endorsement of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Resource Management (SCARM), the Commonwealth will contribute 50 per cent of required funds for plant pest eradication programmes, with benefits for agriculture and biodiversity conservation. As the timing, nature and extent of exotic plant pests, weeds and diseases cannot be predicted forecasts for outyear funding are not available.

Contact: Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Australia -- 02 6271 6471

The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) provides a gamma ray service to NSW Agriculture as part of the production of sterile insects (Queensland Fruit Fly) for the Tri-State Fruit Fly Strategy, funded by three State Governments, the Commonwealth Government and the fruit growing industry. Demand for the service is seasonal and dependent on a number of factors such as the number of outbreaks. Between six and 15 million pupae are irradiated each week.

Contact: ANSTO -- 02 9717 3052

Feral Animal Control

The National Feral Animal Control Programme, a Natural Heritage Trust Programme, aims to manage the impact of feral animals on the natural environment and agriculture. The Commonwealth is working with all levels of Government, industry and the community to develop integrated, strategic approaches to manage the impacts of nationally significant feral animals and to develop best practice guidelines for the control of the impact of feral animals.

The Commonwealth will provide $2.4 million in 1999-2000 to be used in cooperation with the States and Territories to focus on:

• Developing and implementing Threat Abatement Plans (TAPs) for key feral animals. (Schedule 3 of the Endangered Species Protection Act 1992 lists four key threatening processes caused by introduced vertebrate animals (fox, cat, goat and rabbit). The Act requires a TAP to be prepared for each key threatening process. The fox and cat TAPs have been approved by the Minister, and the rabbit and goat TAPs are being revised based on responses received during the public comment period. The TAPs will determine the Commonwealth's priorities for funding decisions on those species under the Programme.)
• Developing best practice guidelines for managing the impact of key feral animals (this year, national guidelines are being developed to manage, inter alia, the impacts of wild dogs and carp).
• Identifying invasive species with the potential to become threats to the environment.
• Filling knowledge gaps in pest management.

Contact: Environment Australia, Biodiversity Group -- 02 6274 2388

Contact: Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Australia -- 02 6272 4263

Animal and Plant Quarantine Policy

The Commonwealth will provide $5.5 million in 1999-2000 to develop animal and plant quarantine policy. Development of animal and plant quarantine policy results in the application of risk assessment-based commodity protocols, which allow the safe importation, or exclusion, of animal and plant material.

Contact: Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Australia -- 02 6272 4092

Cooperative Research Centres

There are two Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs) undertaking research on the control of invasive species.

The CRC for Weed Management Systems is focused on improving the sustainability and productivity of Australian agriculture and the biodiversity of our natural ecosystems by developing integrated weed management systems, notably through the release of specific insects and pathogens. The CRC has developed and is releasing insects which are specific to controlling Paterson's Curse, Onopordum Thistles, Nodding Thistle, Spear Thistle, Variegated Thistle, Horehound, Emex, St John's Wort, Scotch Broom, Bitou Bush and Boneseed, and is developing insect and rust biocontrol agents for bridal creeper and blackberry.

The CRC for Biological Control of Pest Animals aims to contribute to the better management of Australian biodiversity by limiting the growth of vertebrate pests through fertility control. The key concept is to manage vertebrate pest populations using immunocontraceptives delivered by bait or through the agency of a virus or other contagious agent that spreads naturally through the target pest population. The CRC has laboratory `proof-of-concept' that infection of a host with a host-specific recombinant virus expressing a specific reproductive antigen induces long-lasting infertility. For the mouse, this infertility extends over its reproductive lifespan. For the rabbit, the infertility is of shorter duration. For the fox, where no fox-specific virus has been identified to date, development of a bait-delivered product is continuing.

Contact: CRC Secretariat -- 02 6213 6429