❓ Mr. Catania asks about government support for Carnarvon residents dealing with spur-throated locusts after recent floods. Mr. Redman outlines the government's response, including expert consultation and consideration of declaring the locusts a pest.
AnsweredQoN 204Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CARNARVON STORM DAMAGE — GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
Members would be aware of the recent floods in Carnarvon and the devastation caused to the community. Integral to the recovery and rebuilding after these floods is a quick government response to the spur-throated locusts now wreaking havoc on crops. Will the minister please update the house about what the Liberal–National government will do in response to this new challenge for Carnarvon residents? Mr D.T. REDMAN
Members would be aware of the recent floods in Carnarvon and the devastation caused to the community. Integral to the recovery and rebuilding after these floods is a quick government response to the spur-throated locusts now wreaking havoc on crops. Will the minister please update the house about what the Liberal–National government will do in response to this new challenge for Carnarvon residents? Mr D.T. REDMAN
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for North West for his strong in interest and advocacy for the people he represents in Carnarvon. He has been on the phone to me on a number of occasions and he has certainly made very strong representation for the growers and horticulturalists, in particular, who have gone through the challenge of the floods in recent times, and who now face this new challenge—the spur-throated locust. The spur-throated locust is a tropical pest. The recent flood events have been conducive to its breeding and to a significant increase in the number of spur-throated locusts. I had the chance recently to look over some properties and to talk to some of the growers, and to see the challenge firsthand. The member for North West took me to a number of properties that are significantly affected, particularly the banana plantations, and I have some sympathy for their circumstances. They are in a little window of opportunity now in which the prices for a box of bananas is substantially higher than usual. I have heard it is something in the order of $120 to $130 a box, when it would normally be $30 a box. Those prices are on the back of the challenges in Queensland. This presents an opportunity for growers to benefit and to get past the challenges they have recently been through. Tragically, these growers now face the spur-throated locust, which is a significant issue. The spur-throated locust is a different species from the Australian plague locust. It is a native species found in the tropics, and the recent rains have caused it to grow in number. There have been some calls for me to declare the spur-throated locust a pest, bearing in mind that, as I understand it, the Australian plague locust is a declared pest and therefore there are responsibilities on landowners. There are some complexities around that. Certainly, I am looking at that issue. That means that if we were to declare it a pest, under regulations we could force landowners to control the pest. There are some slight differences of views between the growers. Some want to control the pest and put their own funds into dealing with it to get a good horticultural crop and others do not. If the government declares it a pest, the regulations could be used to force all growers to control it and, hence, have a united front on the issue. That is something I need to work through to fully understand the issues it presents. Likewise, growers in horticultural areas need to understand the implications of that. What are we doing? In the first instance, we have responded very quickly. We have asked some entomologists to give us advice on the issue, and they are certainly talking to the growers about presenting them with the technical information they need to deal with the pest. We have also taken the added step of getting the advice of the Australian Plague Locust Commission. I understand that members of the commission will be in the area within the week to look at the situation. They have had a lot of experience with this pest on the east coast, so they will be in a position to provide us with advice. We are also looking at possible surveillance and forecasting and control approaches. We need to get this right. It is no good going in there with a thumping great big “mister” and blowing everything away. It is an area that is sensitive to chemicals for a range of reasons. We need to get it right. We need to get information. We are responding. I am certainly considering the call that has been made for a declaration, but it has implications that I need to work through to be certain that that is the right decision, if that is the decision we make. The member for North West has been a strong advocate. This government has responded. We want to be right alongside those growers who are dealing with this challenge.
Mr D.T. REDMAN replied: I thank the member for North West for his strong in interest and advocacy for the people he represents in Carnarvon. He has been on the phone to me on a number of occasions and he has certainly made very strong representation for the growers and horticulturalists, in particular, who have gone through the challenge of the floods in recent times, and who now face this new challenge—the spur-throated locust. The spur-throated locust is a tropical pest. The recent flood events have been conducive to its breeding and to a significant increase in the number of spur-throated locusts. I had the chance recently to look over some properties and to talk to some of the growers, and to see the challenge firsthand. The member for North West took me to a number of properties that are significantly affected, particularly the banana plantations, and I have some sympathy for their circumstances. They are in a little window of opportunity now in which the prices for a box of bananas is substantially higher than usual. I have heard it is something in the order of $120 to $130 a box, when it would normally be $30 a box. Those prices are on the back of the challenges in Queensland. This presents an opportunity for growers to benefit and to get past the challenges they have recently been through. Tragically, these growers now face the spur-throated locust, which is a significant issue. The spur-throated locust is a different species from the Australian plague locust. It is a native species found in the tropics, and the recent rains have caused it to grow in number. There have been some calls for me to declare the spur-throated locust a pest, bearing in mind that, as I understand it, the Australian plague locust is a declared pest and therefore there are responsibilities on landowners. There are some complexities around that. Certainly, I am looking at that issue. That means that if we were to declare it a pest, under regulations we could force landowners to control the pest. There are some slight differences of views between the growers. Some want to control the pest and put their own funds into dealing with it to get a good horticultural crop and others do not. If the government declares it a pest, the regulations could be used to force all growers to control it and, hence, have a united front on the issue. That is something I need to work through to fully understand the issues it presents. Likewise, growers in horticultural areas need to understand the implications of that. What are we doing? In the first instance, we have responded very quickly. We have asked some entomologists to give us advice on the issue, and they are certainly talking to the growers about presenting them with the technical information they need to deal with the pest. We have also taken the added step of getting the advice of the Australian Plague Locust Commission. I understand that members of the commission will be in the area within the week to look at the situation. They have had a lot of experience with this pest on the east coast, so they will be in a position to provide us with advice. We are also looking at possible surveillance and forecasting and control approaches. We need to get this right. It is no good going in there with a thumping great big “mister” and blowing everything away. It is an area that is sensitive to chemicals for a range of reasons. We need to get it right. We need to get information. We are responding. I am certainly considering the call that has been made for a declaration, but it has implications that I need to work through to be certain that that is the right decision, if that is the decision we make. The member for North West has been a strong advocate. This government has responded. We want to be right alongside those growers who are dealing with this challenge.
I thank the member for North West for his strong in interest and advocacy for the people he represents in Carnarvon. He has been on the phone to me on a number of occasions and he has certainly made very strong representation for the growers and horticulturalists, in particular, who have gone through the challenge of the floods in recent times, and who now face this new challenge—the spur-throated locust. The spur-throated locust is a tropical pest. The recent flood events have been conducive to its breeding and to a significant increase in the number of spur-throated locusts. I had the chance recently to look over some properties and to talk to some of the growers, and to see the challenge firsthand. The member for North West took me to a number of properties that are significantly affected, particularly the banana plantations, and I have some sympathy for their circumstances. They are in a little window of opportunity now in which the prices for a box of bananas is substantially higher than usual. I have heard it is something in the order of $120 to $130 a box, when it would normally be $30 a box. Those prices are on the back of the challenges in Queensland. This presents an opportunity for growers to benefit and to get past the challenges they have recently been through. Tragically, these growers now face the spur-throated locust, which is a significant issue. The spur-throated locust is a different species from the Australian plague locust. It is a native species found in the tropics, and the recent rains have caused it to grow in number. There have been some calls for me to declare the spur-throated locust a pest, bearing in mind that, as I understand it, the Australian plague locust is a declared pest and therefore there are responsibilities on landowners. There are some complexities around that. Certainly, I am looking at that issue. That means that if we were to declare it a pest, under regulations we could force landowners to control the pest. There are some slight differences of views between the growers. Some want to control the pest and put their own funds into dealing with it to get a good horticultural crop and others do not. If the government declares it a pest, the regulations could be used to force all growers to control it and, hence, have a united front on the issue. That is something I need to work through to fully understand the issues it presents. Likewise, growers in horticultural areas need to understand the implications of that. What are we doing? In the first instance, we have responded very quickly. We have asked some entomologists to give us advice on the issue, and they are certainly talking to the growers about presenting them with the technical information they need to deal with the pest. We have also taken the added step of getting the advice of the Australian Plague Locust Commission. I understand that members of the commission will be in the area within the week to look at the situation. They have had a lot of experience with this pest on the east coast, so they will be in a position to provide us with advice. We are also looking at possible surveillance and forecasting and control approaches. We need to get this right. It is no good going in there with a thumping great big “mister” and blowing everything away. It is an area that is sensitive to chemicals for a range of reasons. We need to get it right. We need to get information. We are responding. I am certainly considering the call that has been made for a declaration, but it has implications that I need to work through to be certain that that is the right decision, if that is the decision we make. The member for North West has been a strong advocate. This government has responded. We want to be right alongside those growers who are dealing with this challenge.
I had the chance recently to look over some properties and to talk to some of the growers, and to see the challenge firsthand. The member for North West took me to a number of properties that are significantly affected, particularly the banana plantations, and I have some sympathy for their circumstances. They are in a little window of opportunity now in which the prices for a box of bananas is substantially higher than usual. I have heard it is something in the order of $120 to $130 a box, when it would normally be $30 a box. Those prices are on the back of the challenges in Queensland. This presents an opportunity for growers to benefit and to get past the challenges they have recently been through. Tragically, these growers now face the spur-throated locust, which is a significant issue. The spur-throated locust is a different species from the Australian plague locust. It is a native species found in the tropics, and the recent rains have caused it to grow in number. There have been some calls for me to declare the spur-throated locust a pest, bearing in mind that, as I understand it, the Australian plague locust is a declared pest and therefore there are responsibilities on landowners. There are some complexities around that. Certainly, I am looking at that issue. That means that if we were to declare it a pest, under regulations we could force landowners to control the pest. There are some slight differences of views between the growers. Some want to control the pest and put their own funds into dealing with it to get a good horticultural crop and others do not. If the government declares it a pest, the regulations could be used to force all growers to control it and, hence, have a united front on the issue. That is something I need to work through to fully understand the issues it presents. Likewise, growers in horticultural areas need to understand the implications of that. What are we doing? In the first instance, we have responded very quickly. We have asked some entomologists to give us advice on the issue, and they are certainly talking to the growers about presenting them with the technical information they need to deal with the pest. We have also taken the added step of getting the advice of the Australian Plague Locust Commission. I understand that members of the commission will be in the area within the week to look at the situation. They have had a lot of experience with this pest on the east coast, so they will be in a position to provide us with advice. We are also looking at possible surveillance and forecasting and control approaches. We need to get this right. It is no good going in there with a thumping great big “mister” and blowing everything away. It is an area that is sensitive to chemicals for a range of reasons. We need to get it right. We need to get information. We are responding. I am certainly considering the call that has been made for a declaration, but it has implications that I need to work through to be certain that that is the right decision, if that is the decision we make. The member for North West has been a strong advocate. This government has responded. We want to be right alongside those growers who are dealing with this challenge.
There have been some calls for me to declare the spur-throated locust a pest, bearing in mind that, as I understand it, the Australian plague locust is a declared pest and therefore there are responsibilities on landowners. There are some complexities around that. Certainly, I am looking at that issue. That means that if we were to declare it a pest, under regulations we could force landowners to control the pest. There are some slight differences of views between the growers. Some want to control the pest and put their own funds into dealing with it to get a good horticultural crop and others do not. If the government declares it a pest, the regulations could be used to force all growers to control it and, hence, have a united front on the issue. That is something I need to work through to fully understand the issues it presents. Likewise, growers in horticultural areas need to understand the implications of that. What are we doing? In the first instance, we have responded very quickly. We have asked some entomologists to give us advice on the issue, and they are certainly talking to the growers about presenting them with the technical information they need to deal with the pest. We have also taken the added step of getting the advice of the Australian Plague Locust Commission. I understand that members of the commission will be in the area within the week to look at the situation. They have had a lot of experience with this pest on the east coast, so they will be in a position to provide us with advice. We are also looking at possible surveillance and forecasting and control approaches. We need to get this right. It is no good going in there with a thumping great big “mister” and blowing everything away. It is an area that is sensitive to chemicals for a range of reasons. We need to get it right. We need to get information. We are responding. I am certainly considering the call that has been made for a declaration, but it has implications that I need to work through to be certain that that is the right decision, if that is the decision we make. The member for North West has been a strong advocate. This government has responded. We want to be right alongside those growers who are dealing with this challenge.
What are we doing? In the first instance, we have responded very quickly. We have asked some entomologists to give us advice on the issue, and they are certainly talking to the growers about presenting them with the technical information they need to deal with the pest. We have also taken the added step of getting the advice of the Australian Plague Locust Commission. I understand that members of the commission will be in the area within the week to look at the situation. They have had a lot of experience with this pest on the east coast, so they will be in a position to provide us with advice. We are also looking at possible surveillance and forecasting and control approaches. We need to get this right. It is no good going in there with a thumping great big “mister” and blowing everything away. It is an area that is sensitive to chemicals for a range of reasons. We need to get it right. We need to get information. We are responding. I am certainly considering the call that has been made for a declaration, but it has implications that I need to work through to be certain that that is the right decision, if that is the decision we make. The member for North West has been a strong advocate. This government has responded. We want to be right alongside those growers who are dealing with this challenge.
We are also looking at possible surveillance and forecasting and control approaches. We need to get this right. It is no good going in there with a thumping great big “mister” and blowing everything away. It is an area that is sensitive to chemicals for a range of reasons. We need to get it right. We need to get information. We are responding. I am certainly considering the call that has been made for a declaration, but it has implications that I need to work through to be certain that that is the right decision, if that is the decision we make. The member for North West has been a strong advocate. This government has responded. We want to be right alongside those growers who are dealing with this challenge.
Mr D.T. REDMAN replied: I thank the member for North West for his strong in interest and advocacy for the people he represents in Carnarvon. He has been on the phone to me on a number of occasions and he has certainly made very strong representation for the growers and horticulturalists, in particular, who have gone through the challenge of the floods in recent times, and who now face this new challenge—the spur-throated locust. The spur-throated locust is a tropical pest. The recent flood events have been conducive to its breeding and to a significant increase in the number of spur-throated locusts. I had the chance recently to look over some properties and to talk to some of the growers, and to see the challenge firsthand. The member for North West took me to a number of properties that are significantly affected, particularly the banana plantations, and I have some sympathy for their circumstances. They are in a little window of opportunity now in which the prices for a box of bananas is substantially higher than usual. I have heard it is something in the order of $120 to $130 a box, when it would normally be $30 a box. Those prices are on the back of the challenges in Queensland. This presents an opportunity for growers to benefit and to get past the challenges they have recently been through. Tragically, these growers now face the spur-throated locust, which is a significant issue. The spur-throated locust is a different species from the Australian plague locust. It is a native species found in the tropics, and the recent rains have caused it to grow in number. There have been some calls for me to declare the spur-throated locust a pest, bearing in mind that, as I understand it, the Australian plague locust is a declared pest and therefore there are responsibilities on landowners. There are some complexities around that. Certainly, I am looking at that issue. That means that if we were to declare it a pest, under regulations we could force landowners to control the pest. There are some slight differences of views between the growers. Some want to control the pest and put their own funds into dealing with it to get a good horticultural crop and others do not. If the government declares it a pest, the regulations could be used to force all growers to control it and, hence, have a united front on the issue. That is something I need to work through to fully understand the issues it presents. Likewise, growers in horticultural areas need to understand the implications of that. What are we doing? In the first instance, we have responded very quickly. We have asked some entomologists to give us advice on the issue, and they are certainly talking to the growers about presenting them with the technical information they need to deal with the pest. We have also taken the added step of getting the advice of the Australian Plague Locust Commission. I understand that members of the commission will be in the area within the week to look at the situation. They have had a lot of experience with this pest on the east coast, so they will be in a position to provide us with advice. We are also looking at possible surveillance and forecasting and control approaches. We need to get this right. It is no good going in there with a thumping great big “mister” and blowing everything away. It is an area that is sensitive to chemicals for a range of reasons. We need to get it right. We need to get information. We are responding. I am certainly considering the call that has been made for a declaration, but it has implications that I need to work through to be certain that that is the right decision, if that is the decision we make. The member for North West has been a strong advocate. This government has responded. We want to be right alongside those growers who are dealing with this challenge.
I thank the member for North West for his strong in interest and advocacy for the people he represents in Carnarvon. He has been on the phone to me on a number of occasions and he has certainly made very strong representation for the growers and horticulturalists, in particular, who have gone through the challenge of the floods in recent times, and who now face this new challenge—the spur-throated locust. The spur-throated locust is a tropical pest. The recent flood events have been conducive to its breeding and to a significant increase in the number of spur-throated locusts. I had the chance recently to look over some properties and to talk to some of the growers, and to see the challenge firsthand. The member for North West took me to a number of properties that are significantly affected, particularly the banana plantations, and I have some sympathy for their circumstances. They are in a little window of opportunity now in which the prices for a box of bananas is substantially higher than usual. I have heard it is something in the order of $120 to $130 a box, when it would normally be $30 a box. Those prices are on the back of the challenges in Queensland. This presents an opportunity for growers to benefit and to get past the challenges they have recently been through. Tragically, these growers now face the spur-throated locust, which is a significant issue. The spur-throated locust is a different species from the Australian plague locust. It is a native species found in the tropics, and the recent rains have caused it to grow in number. There have been some calls for me to declare the spur-throated locust a pest, bearing in mind that, as I understand it, the Australian plague locust is a declared pest and therefore there are responsibilities on landowners. There are some complexities around that. Certainly, I am looking at that issue. That means that if we were to declare it a pest, under regulations we could force landowners to control the pest. There are some slight differences of views between the growers. Some want to control the pest and put their own funds into dealing with it to get a good horticultural crop and others do not. If the government declares it a pest, the regulations could be used to force all growers to control it and, hence, have a united front on the issue. That is something I need to work through to fully understand the issues it presents. Likewise, growers in horticultural areas need to understand the implications of that. What are we doing? In the first instance, we have responded very quickly. We have asked some entomologists to give us advice on the issue, and they are certainly talking to the growers about presenting them with the technical information they need to deal with the pest. We have also taken the added step of getting the advice of the Australian Plague Locust Commission. I understand that members of the commission will be in the area within the week to look at the situation. They have had a lot of experience with this pest on the east coast, so they will be in a position to provide us with advice. We are also looking at possible surveillance and forecasting and control approaches. We need to get this right. It is no good going in there with a thumping great big “mister” and blowing everything away. It is an area that is sensitive to chemicals for a range of reasons. We need to get it right. We need to get information. We are responding. I am certainly considering the call that has been made for a declaration, but it has implications that I need to work through to be certain that that is the right decision, if that is the decision we make. The member for North West has been a strong advocate. This government has responded. We want to be right alongside those growers who are dealing with this challenge.
I had the chance recently to look over some properties and to talk to some of the growers, and to see the challenge firsthand. The member for North West took me to a number of properties that are significantly affected, particularly the banana plantations, and I have some sympathy for their circumstances. They are in a little window of opportunity now in which the prices for a box of bananas is substantially higher than usual. I have heard it is something in the order of $120 to $130 a box, when it would normally be $30 a box. Those prices are on the back of the challenges in Queensland. This presents an opportunity for growers to benefit and to get past the challenges they have recently been through. Tragically, these growers now face the spur-throated locust, which is a significant issue. The spur-throated locust is a different species from the Australian plague locust. It is a native species found in the tropics, and the recent rains have caused it to grow in number. There have been some calls for me to declare the spur-throated locust a pest, bearing in mind that, as I understand it, the Australian plague locust is a declared pest and therefore there are responsibilities on landowners. There are some complexities around that. Certainly, I am looking at that issue. That means that if we were to declare it a pest, under regulations we could force landowners to control the pest. There are some slight differences of views between the growers. Some want to control the pest and put their own funds into dealing with it to get a good horticultural crop and others do not. If the government declares it a pest, the regulations could be used to force all growers to control it and, hence, have a united front on the issue. That is something I need to work through to fully understand the issues it presents. Likewise, growers in horticultural areas need to understand the implications of that. What are we doing? In the first instance, we have responded very quickly. We have asked some entomologists to give us advice on the issue, and they are certainly talking to the growers about presenting them with the technical information they need to deal with the pest. We have also taken the added step of getting the advice of the Australian Plague Locust Commission. I understand that members of the commission will be in the area within the week to look at the situation. They have had a lot of experience with this pest on the east coast, so they will be in a position to provide us with advice. We are also looking at possible surveillance and forecasting and control approaches. We need to get this right. It is no good going in there with a thumping great big “mister” and blowing everything away. It is an area that is sensitive to chemicals for a range of reasons. We need to get it right. We need to get information. We are responding. I am certainly considering the call that has been made for a declaration, but it has implications that I need to work through to be certain that that is the right decision, if that is the decision we make. The member for North West has been a strong advocate. This government has responded. We want to be right alongside those growers who are dealing with this challenge.
There have been some calls for me to declare the spur-throated locust a pest, bearing in mind that, as I understand it, the Australian plague locust is a declared pest and therefore there are responsibilities on landowners. There are some complexities around that. Certainly, I am looking at that issue. That means that if we were to declare it a pest, under regulations we could force landowners to control the pest. There are some slight differences of views between the growers. Some want to control the pest and put their own funds into dealing with it to get a good horticultural crop and others do not. If the government declares it a pest, the regulations could be used to force all growers to control it and, hence, have a united front on the issue. That is something I need to work through to fully understand the issues it presents. Likewise, growers in horticultural areas need to understand the implications of that. What are we doing? In the first instance, we have responded very quickly. We have asked some entomologists to give us advice on the issue, and they are certainly talking to the growers about presenting them with the technical information they need to deal with the pest. We have also taken the added step of getting the advice of the Australian Plague Locust Commission. I understand that members of the commission will be in the area within the week to look at the situation. They have had a lot of experience with this pest on the east coast, so they will be in a position to provide us with advice. We are also looking at possible surveillance and forecasting and control approaches. We need to get this right. It is no good going in there with a thumping great big “mister” and blowing everything away. It is an area that is sensitive to chemicals for a range of reasons. We need to get it right. We need to get information. We are responding. I am certainly considering the call that has been made for a declaration, but it has implications that I need to work through to be certain that that is the right decision, if that is the decision we make. The member for North West has been a strong advocate. This government has responded. We want to be right alongside those growers who are dealing with this challenge.
What are we doing? In the first instance, we have responded very quickly. We have asked some entomologists to give us advice on the issue, and they are certainly talking to the growers about presenting them with the technical information they need to deal with the pest. We have also taken the added step of getting the advice of the Australian Plague Locust Commission. I understand that members of the commission will be in the area within the week to look at the situation. They have had a lot of experience with this pest on the east coast, so they will be in a position to provide us with advice. We are also looking at possible surveillance and forecasting and control approaches. We need to get this right. It is no good going in there with a thumping great big “mister” and blowing everything away. It is an area that is sensitive to chemicals for a range of reasons. We need to get it right. We need to get information. We are responding. I am certainly considering the call that has been made for a declaration, but it has implications that I need to work through to be certain that that is the right decision, if that is the decision we make. The member for North West has been a strong advocate. This government has responded. We want to be right alongside those growers who are dealing with this challenge.
We are also looking at possible surveillance and forecasting and control approaches. We need to get this right. It is no good going in there with a thumping great big “mister” and blowing everything away. It is an area that is sensitive to chemicals for a range of reasons. We need to get it right. We need to get information. We are responding. I am certainly considering the call that has been made for a declaration, but it has implications that I need to work through to be certain that that is the right decision, if that is the decision we make. The member for North West has been a strong advocate. This government has responded. We want to be right alongside those growers who are dealing with this challenge.
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