❓ A parliamentary question addresses the presence and potential impact of Rainbow Lorikeets in WA, particularly in the Perth metropolitan area and southwest forests. The Minister acknowledges the presence of the birds but downplays the risk to jarrah forests and outlines a strategy of eradication in outlying areas, not the metropolitan area.
AnsweredQoN 757Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Will the Minister confirm that the Birds Australia survey called ‘Perth Birdwatch’, reported in
Western Australian Bird Notes
of December 2002, recorded the presence of Rainbow Lorikeets at Chidlow and Mandurah?
(2) Is the Minister aware that a census of Rainbow Lorikeets by Birds Australia members, reported in the same publication, located some 2000 lorikeets from a wide area of the Perth metropolitan area but with major populations at Cottesloe (1375 individuals) and Perth Domestic Airport (350-400)?
(3) Does the Minister accept the advice of her departmental experts that the species has the potential to spread throughout large areas of the south west, including virtually the entire jarrah forest, posing environmental dangers to the State’s native species?
(4) What is the justification for not attempting to eradicate the species from the Perth metropolitan area, even though it is clearly extending its range?
Western Australian Bird Notes
of December 2002, recorded the presence of Rainbow Lorikeets at Chidlow and Mandurah?
(2) Is the Minister aware that a census of Rainbow Lorikeets by Birds Australia members, reported in the same publication, located some 2000 lorikeets from a wide area of the Perth metropolitan area but with major populations at Cottesloe (1375 individuals) and Perth Domestic Airport (350-400)?
(3) Does the Minister accept the advice of her departmental experts that the species has the potential to spread throughout large areas of the south west, including virtually the entire jarrah forest, posing environmental dangers to the State’s native species?
(4) What is the justification for not attempting to eradicate the species from the Perth metropolitan area, even though it is clearly extending its range?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
1 April 2003
Responded by
Minister for the Environment and Heritage
Response time
35 days
(2) Yes. (3) The advice provided to the Minister by Departmental officers is that most parts of the southwest supporting jarrah forest do not provide suitable habitat for the Rainbow Lorikeet and that their establishment in these areas is highly unlikely. (4) Eradication of pest bird species has rarely been achieved anywhere in the world. It is difficult, costly and there needs to be a clear justification for attempting it. At present there are no techniques available that would provide a guaranteed end result of eradication. Eradication of newly establishing populations in outlying areas is, however, practicable and appropriate in order to protect the environment and agricultural production. A program of detection and eradication is in place in the southwest outside the metropolitan area.
(3) The advice provided to the Minister by Departmental officers is that most parts of the southwest supporting jarrah forest do not provide suitable habitat for the Rainbow Lorikeet and that their establishment in these areas is highly unlikely. (4) Eradication of pest bird species has rarely been achieved anywhere in the world. It is difficult, costly and there needs to be a clear justification for attempting it. At present there are no techniques available that would provide a guaranteed end result of eradication. Eradication of newly establishing populations in outlying areas is, however, practicable and appropriate in order to protect the environment and agricultural production. A program of detection and eradication is in place in the southwest outside the metropolitan area.
(4) Eradication of pest bird species has rarely been achieved anywhere in the world. It is difficult, costly and there needs to be a clear justification for attempting it. At present there are no techniques available that would provide a guaranteed end result of eradication. Eradication of newly establishing populations in outlying areas is, however, practicable and appropriate in order to protect the environment and agricultural production. A program of detection and eradication is in place in the southwest outside the metropolitan area.
(3) The advice provided to the Minister by Departmental officers is that most parts of the southwest supporting jarrah forest do not provide suitable habitat for the Rainbow Lorikeet and that their establishment in these areas is highly unlikely. (4) Eradication of pest bird species has rarely been achieved anywhere in the world. It is difficult, costly and there needs to be a clear justification for attempting it. At present there are no techniques available that would provide a guaranteed end result of eradication. Eradication of newly establishing populations in outlying areas is, however, practicable and appropriate in order to protect the environment and agricultural production. A program of detection and eradication is in place in the southwest outside the metropolitan area.
(4) Eradication of pest bird species has rarely been achieved anywhere in the world. It is difficult, costly and there needs to be a clear justification for attempting it. At present there are no techniques available that would provide a guaranteed end result of eradication. Eradication of newly establishing populations in outlying areas is, however, practicable and appropriate in order to protect the environment and agricultural production. A program of detection and eradication is in place in the southwest outside the metropolitan area.
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.