A WA parliamentary question addresses a reported sighting of unusual birds resembling starlings in Gingin. The Minister for Agriculture confirms no starling incursion, detailing surveillance and community awareness efforts.

AnsweredQoN 557Legislative Council
Asked
30 August 2005
Portfolio
Agriculture and Forestry

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to a recent report of a flock of unusual birds, resembling starlings, sighted in the Gingin townsite and reported in The Greener Times of August 2005. (1) Has there been any confirmation of this reported sighting? (2) If yes to (1), how many birds have been sighted and have they been destroyed? (3) If no to (1), is the minister satisfied that there has not been an incursion of starlings into Western Australia? Hon KIM CHANCE

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) No, there has been no confirmation of the reported sighting. (2) Not applicable. (3) At this stage, officers from the Department of Agriculture are reasonably confident that there has not been an incursion of starlings into this area of the state. Following the report, a number of actions have been carried out to determine the identity of the birds. First, a press release was prepared and sent to the local newspaper to raise the awareness of the local community and generate reports to the Department of Agriculture. To date, there have been no further reports. A bulk mail-out of starling farmnotes and a biosecurity poster were distributed to 500 residents in the Gingin townsite and adjacent landholders. Following this expansive information coverage, there have been no further reports from the area. Officers with vast experience in starling detection have been sent to the area and have carried out surveillance. Extensive searching has been performed by departmental officers in the north Bullsbrook, Muchea, Gingin and Bindoon areas. To date, no starlings have been seen. Surveillance will continue by local officers and landholders in the area. If any suspect sightings are reported to the department’s pest and disease service hotline, an immediate follow-up will be carried out.
(1) Has there been any confirmation of this reported sighting? (2) If yes to (1), how many birds have been sighted and have they been destroyed? (3) If no to (1), is the minister satisfied that there has not been an incursion of starlings into Western Australia? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) No, there has been no confirmation of the reported sighting. (2) Not applicable. (3) At this stage, officers from the Department of Agriculture are reasonably confident that there has not been an incursion of starlings into this area of the state. Following the report, a number of actions have been carried out to determine the identity of the birds. First, a press release was prepared and sent to the local newspaper to raise the awareness of the local community and generate reports to the Department of Agriculture. To date, there have been no further reports. A bulk mail-out of starling farmnotes and a biosecurity poster were distributed to 500 residents in the Gingin townsite and adjacent landholders. Following this expansive information coverage, there have been no further reports from the area. Officers with vast experience in starling detection have been sent to the area and have carried out surveillance. Extensive searching has been performed by departmental officers in the north Bullsbrook, Muchea, Gingin and Bindoon areas. To date, no starlings have been seen. Surveillance will continue by local officers and landholders in the area. If any suspect sightings are reported to the department’s pest and disease service hotline, an immediate follow-up will be carried out.
(2) If yes to (1), how many birds have been sighted and have they been destroyed? (3) If no to (1), is the minister satisfied that there has not been an incursion of starlings into Western Australia? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) No, there has been no confirmation of the reported sighting. (2) Not applicable. (3) At this stage, officers from the Department of Agriculture are reasonably confident that there has not been an incursion of starlings into this area of the state. Following the report, a number of actions have been carried out to determine the identity of the birds. First, a press release was prepared and sent to the local newspaper to raise the awareness of the local community and generate reports to the Department of Agriculture. To date, there have been no further reports. A bulk mail-out of starling farmnotes and a biosecurity poster were distributed to 500 residents in the Gingin townsite and adjacent landholders. Following this expansive information coverage, there have been no further reports from the area. Officers with vast experience in starling detection have been sent to the area and have carried out surveillance. Extensive searching has been performed by departmental officers in the north Bullsbrook, Muchea, Gingin and Bindoon areas. To date, no starlings have been seen. Surveillance will continue by local officers and landholders in the area. If any suspect sightings are reported to the department’s pest and disease service hotline, an immediate follow-up will be carried out.
(3) If no to (1), is the minister satisfied that there has not been an incursion of starlings into Western Australia? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) No, there has been no confirmation of the reported sighting. (2) Not applicable. (3) At this stage, officers from the Department of Agriculture are reasonably confident that there has not been an incursion of starlings into this area of the state. Following the report, a number of actions have been carried out to determine the identity of the birds. First, a press release was prepared and sent to the local newspaper to raise the awareness of the local community and generate reports to the Department of Agriculture. To date, there have been no further reports. A bulk mail-out of starling farmnotes and a biosecurity poster were distributed to 500 residents in the Gingin townsite and adjacent landholders. Following this expansive information coverage, there have been no further reports from the area. Officers with vast experience in starling detection have been sent to the area and have carried out surveillance. Extensive searching has been performed by departmental officers in the north Bullsbrook, Muchea, Gingin and Bindoon areas. To date, no starlings have been seen. Surveillance will continue by local officers and landholders in the area. If any suspect sightings are reported to the department’s pest and disease service hotline, an immediate follow-up will be carried out.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) No, there has been no confirmation of the reported sighting. (2) Not applicable. (3) At this stage, officers from the Department of Agriculture are reasonably confident that there has not been an incursion of starlings into this area of the state. Following the report, a number of actions have been carried out to determine the identity of the birds. First, a press release was prepared and sent to the local newspaper to raise the awareness of the local community and generate reports to the Department of Agriculture. To date, there have been no further reports. A bulk mail-out of starling farmnotes and a biosecurity poster were distributed to 500 residents in the Gingin townsite and adjacent landholders. Following this expansive information coverage, there have been no further reports from the area. Officers with vast experience in starling detection have been sent to the area and have carried out surveillance. Extensive searching has been performed by departmental officers in the north Bullsbrook, Muchea, Gingin and Bindoon areas. To date, no starlings have been seen. Surveillance will continue by local officers and landholders in the area. If any suspect sightings are reported to the department’s pest and disease service hotline, an immediate follow-up will be carried out.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) No, there has been no confirmation of the reported sighting. (2) Not applicable. (3) At this stage, officers from the Department of Agriculture are reasonably confident that there has not been an incursion of starlings into this area of the state. Following the report, a number of actions have been carried out to determine the identity of the birds. First, a press release was prepared and sent to the local newspaper to raise the awareness of the local community and generate reports to the Department of Agriculture. To date, there have been no further reports. A bulk mail-out of starling farmnotes and a biosecurity poster were distributed to 500 residents in the Gingin townsite and adjacent landholders. Following this expansive information coverage, there have been no further reports from the area. Officers with vast experience in starling detection have been sent to the area and have carried out surveillance. Extensive searching has been performed by departmental officers in the north Bullsbrook, Muchea, Gingin and Bindoon areas. To date, no starlings have been seen. Surveillance will continue by local officers and landholders in the area. If any suspect sightings are reported to the department’s pest and disease service hotline, an immediate follow-up will be carried out.
(1) No, there has been no confirmation of the reported sighting. (2) Not applicable. (3) At this stage, officers from the Department of Agriculture are reasonably confident that there has not been an incursion of starlings into this area of the state. Following the report, a number of actions have been carried out to determine the identity of the birds. First, a press release was prepared and sent to the local newspaper to raise the awareness of the local community and generate reports to the Department of Agriculture. To date, there have been no further reports. A bulk mail-out of starling farmnotes and a biosecurity poster were distributed to 500 residents in the Gingin townsite and adjacent landholders. Following this expansive information coverage, there have been no further reports from the area. Officers with vast experience in starling detection have been sent to the area and have carried out surveillance. Extensive searching has been performed by departmental officers in the north Bullsbrook, Muchea, Gingin and Bindoon areas. To date, no starlings have been seen. Surveillance will continue by local officers and landholders in the area. If any suspect sightings are reported to the department’s pest and disease service hotline, an immediate follow-up will be carried out.
(2) Not applicable. (3) At this stage, officers from the Department of Agriculture are reasonably confident that there has not been an incursion of starlings into this area of the state. Following the report, a number of actions have been carried out to determine the identity of the birds. First, a press release was prepared and sent to the local newspaper to raise the awareness of the local community and generate reports to the Department of Agriculture. To date, there have been no further reports. A bulk mail-out of starling farmnotes and a biosecurity poster were distributed to 500 residents in the Gingin townsite and adjacent landholders. Following this expansive information coverage, there have been no further reports from the area. Officers with vast experience in starling detection have been sent to the area and have carried out surveillance. Extensive searching has been performed by departmental officers in the north Bullsbrook, Muchea, Gingin and Bindoon areas. To date, no starlings have been seen. Surveillance will continue by local officers and landholders in the area. If any suspect sightings are reported to the department’s pest and disease service hotline, an immediate follow-up will be carried out.
(3) At this stage, officers from the Department of Agriculture are reasonably confident that there has not been an incursion of starlings into this area of the state. Following the report, a number of actions have been carried out to determine the identity of the birds. First, a press release was prepared and sent to the local newspaper to raise the awareness of the local community and generate reports to the Department of Agriculture. To date, there have been no further reports. A bulk mail-out of starling farmnotes and a biosecurity poster were distributed to 500 residents in the Gingin townsite and adjacent landholders. Following this expansive information coverage, there have been no further reports from the area. Officers with vast experience in starling detection have been sent to the area and have carried out surveillance. Extensive searching has been performed by departmental officers in the north Bullsbrook, Muchea, Gingin and Bindoon areas. To date, no starlings have been seen. Surveillance will continue by local officers and landholders in the area. If any suspect sightings are reported to the department’s pest and disease service hotline, an immediate follow-up will be carried out.

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