❓ Mr. Catania asks about the cane toad mobile app developed by the WA government and UWA, and how it will help manage the cane toad invasion. The Minister explains the app's purpose in identifying cane toads and its role in a broader conservation strategy.
AnsweredQoN 246Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CANE TOADS — MOBILE PHONE APP
246. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Minister for Environment:
Can the minister please update the
house on the new cane toad mobile phone application developed by the state
government in partnership with the University of Western Australia and explain
how this technology will help manage the cane toad invasion in Western
Australia?
Several members interjected.
246. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Minister for Environment:
Can the minister please update the
house on the new cane toad mobile phone application developed by the state
government in partnership with the University of Western Australia and explain
how this technology will help manage the cane toad invasion in Western
Australia?
Several members interjected.
AnswerView source ↗
It is very disappointing to hear
members of the opposition go straight into laughter. This is an incredibly
significant issue for the Kimberley. The cane toad was introduced into Australia
in 1935; it has invaded the top of Australia and in recent years has made its
way into the Kimberley. The cane toad poses the single biggest biodiversity
threat to Kimberley fauna at this stage. It reached Kununurra after crossing
the Northern Territory border and is now advancing down towards the member's
electorate at a rate of approximately 50 kilometres a year. As I said a couple
of weeks ago, there is no silver
bullet solution for the cane toad and history tells us that once a population
becomes significantly established, it is generally here to stay. The government
has a range of strategies in place to tackle the cane toad and minimise the
impact. One such strategy, which I had the opportunity to launch the other day,
is an app that has been developed in partnership with the Department of
Environment and Conservation and the University of Western Australia. This app
helps users clearly identify what is a cane toad as opposed to what is a native
frog or toad. The app is readily available from the iTunes mobile app store and
can be downloaded for free.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt interjected.
Mr
A.P. JACOB : I will explain why this is significant. Members opposite can be
all cute about it. The frogs and toads in the Kimberley, as is much of the
fauna in the Kimberley, are under significant threat from this invasion. Cane
toads are invading their habitat
and competing with them for food. Compounding the problem is that people in the
Kimberley are killing native frogs and toads because they are mistaking them
for cane toads and killing them with the good intention to try to get on top of the cane toad
population. People struggle to clearly identify the cane toad. A lot of our native frogs and toads
look very similar to cane toads.
This app is a clear, simple and concise communication tool. I have had a good
look through it, as minister, and it makes it easy for people to tell what is a
cane toad and what is not.
Mr
F.M. Logan interjected.
Mr
A.P. JACOB : If members type in ''cane toad app'', it will
come up. This will help in another way. A s
I said, cane toads are coming down towards the Pilbara at approximately 50 kilometres
a year and we are concerned about hitchhiker populations starting satellite
populations in other areas. This app will help truck drivers and others to
identify what they think are cane toads in regions where they have not
previously been found. They can determine whether it is a cane toad or a native
frog or toad. This is just one
small element of the cane toad strategy, which is part of this government's
$78 million Kimberley science and conservation strategy. It is an unprecedented
commitment to the protection of our magnificent Kimberley and it is an absolute
signature piece of environmental and conservation work from this Liberal–National
government.
members of the opposition go straight into laughter. This is an incredibly
significant issue for the Kimberley. The cane toad was introduced into Australia
in 1935; it has invaded the top of Australia and in recent years has made its
way into the Kimberley. The cane toad poses the single biggest biodiversity
threat to Kimberley fauna at this stage. It reached Kununurra after crossing
the Northern Territory border and is now advancing down towards the member's
electorate at a rate of approximately 50 kilometres a year. As I said a couple
of weeks ago, there is no silver
bullet solution for the cane toad and history tells us that once a population
becomes significantly established, it is generally here to stay. The government
has a range of strategies in place to tackle the cane toad and minimise the
impact. One such strategy, which I had the opportunity to launch the other day,
is an app that has been developed in partnership with the Department of
Environment and Conservation and the University of Western Australia. This app
helps users clearly identify what is a cane toad as opposed to what is a native
frog or toad. The app is readily available from the iTunes mobile app store and
can be downloaded for free.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt interjected.
Mr
A.P. JACOB : I will explain why this is significant. Members opposite can be
all cute about it. The frogs and toads in the Kimberley, as is much of the
fauna in the Kimberley, are under significant threat from this invasion. Cane
toads are invading their habitat
and competing with them for food. Compounding the problem is that people in the
Kimberley are killing native frogs and toads because they are mistaking them
for cane toads and killing them with the good intention to try to get on top of the cane toad
population. People struggle to clearly identify the cane toad. A lot of our native frogs and toads
look very similar to cane toads.
This app is a clear, simple and concise communication tool. I have had a good
look through it, as minister, and it makes it easy for people to tell what is a
cane toad and what is not.
Mr
F.M. Logan interjected.
Mr
A.P. JACOB : If members type in ''cane toad app'', it will
come up. This will help in another way. A s
I said, cane toads are coming down towards the Pilbara at approximately 50 kilometres
a year and we are concerned about hitchhiker populations starting satellite
populations in other areas. This app will help truck drivers and others to
identify what they think are cane toads in regions where they have not
previously been found. They can determine whether it is a cane toad or a native
frog or toad. This is just one
small element of the cane toad strategy, which is part of this government's
$78 million Kimberley science and conservation strategy. It is an unprecedented
commitment to the protection of our magnificent Kimberley and it is an absolute
signature piece of environmental and conservation work from this Liberal–National
government.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.