❓ Dr. Walker inquires about the polyphagous shot-hole borer's impact on hemp and suggests promoting hemp as a wood substitute. The Minister confirms hemp is not a host and offers departmental support for alternative fibre industries.
AnsweredQoN 464Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
POLYPHAGOUS SHOT-HOLE
BORER
464. Hon Dr BRIAN WALKER to the Minister for Agriculture and
Food:
I thank the minister for the stack
of booklets she sent to my office under cover of a recent letter concerning the
polyphagous shot-hole borer. They provided a very informative summary of the
borer's impact upon trees, but they lead me to ask the following
questions.
(1) Does the
extensive list of host plants within which these creatures thrive include the
hemp plant or is it, as the booklet seems to suggest, limited specifically to a
wide variety of trees?
(2) If the hemp plant does not, in fact, serve as a host
for this invasive and destructive beetle, will the department consider
that to be one more excellent reason to advocate for the growth of more hemp
and the creation of more wood substitutes here in WA; and, if not, why not?
BORER
464. Hon Dr BRIAN WALKER to the Minister for Agriculture and
Food:
I thank the minister for the stack
of booklets she sent to my office under cover of a recent letter concerning the
polyphagous shot-hole borer. They provided a very informative summary of the
borer's impact upon trees, but they lead me to ask the following
questions.
(1) Does the
extensive list of host plants within which these creatures thrive include the
hemp plant or is it, as the booklet seems to suggest, limited specifically to a
wide variety of trees?
(2) If the hemp plant does not, in fact, serve as a host
for this invasive and destructive beetle, will the department consider
that to be one more excellent reason to advocate for the growth of more hemp
and the creation of more wood substitutes here in WA; and, if not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
I will tell the member why not.
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. I answer on behalf of the Minister for Agriculture
and Food.
(1) No. Hemp is a herbaceous plant.
The polyphagous shot-hole borer attacks trees with woody stems.
(2) The
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is available to
support industry in exploring alternative fibre industries.
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. I answer on behalf of the Minister for Agriculture
and Food.
(1) No. Hemp is a herbaceous plant.
The polyphagous shot-hole borer attacks trees with woody stems.
(2) The
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is available to
support industry in exploring alternative fibre industries.
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