❓ Hon. Darren West questions the Minister for Agriculture and Food regarding cotton bush control along the Darling Scarp, specifically concerning delegation of authority to local governments and DAFWA's enforcement actions. The Minister responds, outlining the current framework and DAFWA's approach to shared responsibility with LGAs.
AnsweredQoN 1004Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
COTTON
BUSH CONTROL
1004. Hon DARREN WEST to the
Minister for Agriculture and Food:
Mr President, significantly, this is
question C1000—we have had 1 000 questions without notice.
I refer to the epidemic of cotton
bush and other declared weeds along the Darling Scarp.
(1) Have any
local government authorities approached the minister requesting delegated
authority to infringe landowners who allow cotton bush to grow uncontrolled;
and, if so, which LGAs, and when?
(2) Will the
minister take action to give local governments the power to infringe such
landowners; and, if not, why not?
(3) Why is the
Department of Agriculture and Food WA apparently unwilling to consider
delegating to local government responsibility for infringement?
(4) If the
minister will not delegate authority, can he guarantee that DAFWA officers will
diligently prosecute landowners who allow cotton bush and other declared weeds
to grow uncontrolled; and, if he will not delegate, why not?
BUSH CONTROL
1004. Hon DARREN WEST to the
Minister for Agriculture and Food:
Mr President, significantly, this is
question C1000—we have had 1 000 questions without notice.
I refer to the epidemic of cotton
bush and other declared weeds along the Darling Scarp.
(1) Have any
local government authorities approached the minister requesting delegated
authority to infringe landowners who allow cotton bush to grow uncontrolled;
and, if so, which LGAs, and when?
(2) Will the
minister take action to give local governments the power to infringe such
landowners; and, if not, why not?
(3) Why is the
Department of Agriculture and Food WA apparently unwilling to consider
delegating to local government responsibility for infringement?
(4) If the
minister will not delegate authority, can he guarantee that DAFWA officers will
diligently prosecute landowners who allow cotton bush and other declared weeds
to grow uncontrolled; and, if he will not delegate, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this
question.
(1) Local
government authorities have approached the Department of Agriculture and Food
WA about control of cotton bush under a pest plant local law. This option was
raised at meetings initiated by local government authorities in 2013, in
Dardanup in May, Harvey in June and Pinjarra in November.
(2) A pest
plant local law is initiated by the local government authority for its specific
area for any weed that is not declared under the Biosecurity and Agriculture
Management Act 2007. To enable this to occur for cotton bush, this weed would
need to be removed from the declared plants list under the BAM act. If cotton
bush were to be removed from the declared plants list, the powers available
under the BAM act would not be available for its control. DAFWA is liaising
with LGAs to develop capacity and shared responsibility for control of cotton
bush under the BAM act.
(3) DAFWA has
recommended that cotton bush remain a declared plant under the BAM act while
there is community interest in its control. The basis for this recommendation
is that the powers available for control under the BAM act are more effective
than those available under a pest plant local law. DAFWA is liaising with LGAs
to develop a shared responsibility for control of cotton bush under the BAM act
as one part of a community coordinated approach.
(4) DAFWA will
undertake a regulatory role for widespread and established weeds where it is
feasible and effective to do so. Compliance can be effective as one part of a
community coordinated approach.
question.
(1) Local
government authorities have approached the Department of Agriculture and Food
WA about control of cotton bush under a pest plant local law. This option was
raised at meetings initiated by local government authorities in 2013, in
Dardanup in May, Harvey in June and Pinjarra in November.
(2) A pest
plant local law is initiated by the local government authority for its specific
area for any weed that is not declared under the Biosecurity and Agriculture
Management Act 2007. To enable this to occur for cotton bush, this weed would
need to be removed from the declared plants list under the BAM act. If cotton
bush were to be removed from the declared plants list, the powers available
under the BAM act would not be available for its control. DAFWA is liaising
with LGAs to develop capacity and shared responsibility for control of cotton
bush under the BAM act.
(3) DAFWA has
recommended that cotton bush remain a declared plant under the BAM act while
there is community interest in its control. The basis for this recommendation
is that the powers available for control under the BAM act are more effective
than those available under a pest plant local law. DAFWA is liaising with LGAs
to develop a shared responsibility for control of cotton bush under the BAM act
as one part of a community coordinated approach.
(4) DAFWA will
undertake a regulatory role for widespread and established weeds where it is
feasible and effective to do so. Compliance can be effective as one part of a
community coordinated approach.
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