❓ WA Parliament Question on Notice regarding the monitoring and eradication of starlings, a biosecurity concern, including reported sightings, population estimates, strategies, funding, staffing, and the implementation of the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007.
AnsweredQoN 3757Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the occurrence of starlings in Western Australia and the importance of biosecurity to the Government’s Natural Resource Management Program, and ask -
(1) How many reported sightings of starlings were made to the Department since 1 July 2009?
(2) What is the current estimated starling population in Western Australia?
(3) What strategies does the Minister and the Department have to monitor and eradicate starlings in Western Australia?
(4) What funding is specifically targeted to the monitoring and eradication of starlings?
(5) Please give details of how these funds are used?
(6) How many FTE in the Department for Agriculture and Food and/or its contractors are working in Western Australia on the monitoring and eradication of starlings?
(7) How has staffing and resourcing of starling monitoring and eradication changed over the past five years?
(8) Is biosecurity still one of the Government’s key natural resources management priorities?
(9) If yes to (8), please provide details?
(10) If no to (8), why not?
(11) When will the government fully implement the ‘
Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007’
?
(12) What are the barriers to the implementation of the Act?
(1) How many reported sightings of starlings were made to the Department since 1 July 2009?
(2) What is the current estimated starling population in Western Australia?
(3) What strategies does the Minister and the Department have to monitor and eradicate starlings in Western Australia?
(4) What funding is specifically targeted to the monitoring and eradication of starlings?
(5) Please give details of how these funds are used?
(6) How many FTE in the Department for Agriculture and Food and/or its contractors are working in Western Australia on the monitoring and eradication of starlings?
(7) How has staffing and resourcing of starling monitoring and eradication changed over the past five years?
(8) Is biosecurity still one of the Government’s key natural resources management priorities?
(9) If yes to (8), please provide details?
(10) If no to (8), why not?
(11) When will the government fully implement the ‘
Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007’
?
(12) What are the barriers to the implementation of the Act?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
17 May 2011
Responded by
Minister for Child Protection representing the Minister for Agriculture and Food
Response time
54 days
(1) Twenty-four reported sightings of starlings have been made to the Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA) since 1 July 2009. Two of these were confirmed as starlings with the remaining being false alarms.
(2) A number cannot be placed on the size of the starling population in Western Australia. Starlings are in very low numbers and detection is currently very difficult due to the low numbers.
(3) Four different approaches are being used. These include:
· direct surveillance and control by DAFWA staff;
· public awareness and public reporting to enhance detection;
· research and development into surveillance tools for low density populations;
· modelling to ensure that the surveillance and control strategies are optimised.
(4) In 2010/2011, DAFWA invested $593,000 in starling operational management and $131,000 in research and development. Additional funding of $91,000 was received from the Australian Government to assist with research into remote methods for detecting starlings.
(5) Operational funds were separated into two different theatres of operation: Eucla and the South Coast. The border protection component is estimated to cost $274,000 with the remaining $391,000 used on monitoring and control starlings on the South Coast. Research funds in 2010/2011 have primarily been used to develop remote methods for detecting starlings.
(6) In 2010/2011, 3.8 FTEs are working on the monitoring and eradication of starlings (2.0 FTEs at Eucla and 1.8 FTEs focussing on the South Coast).
(7) Operational funding was $730,000 in 2006/2007; $2,500,000 in 2007/2008; $2,850,000 in 2008/2009; $1,640,000 in 2009/2010; and $593,000 in 2010/2011. At the peak level of funding, there were approximately 20 FTEs (involving 39 DAFWA staff). Currently, there are 3.8 FTEs involving 9 staff.
(8) Yes
(9) Agencies like DAFWA and DEC tackle non industry specific biosecurity risks as a part of their ongoing natural resource management responsibilities. Also, a significant number of biosecurity initiatives have been funded through the NRM Program, with a strong focus on delivery through partnerships.
(10) Not applicable.
(11) All regulations are planned to be finalised by 30 June 2012.
(12) There are currently two barriers to full implementation of the Act. These are the
Controls of Agricultural/Veterinary Chemicals, Fertilisers and Stock Feeds (Chemical) Regulations
and the
Chemical Residues Regulations. These
are dependent upon a Council of Australian Governments (COAG) decision as to whether or not national standards in these areas will apply. These unproclaimed parts of the Act will be proclaimed in accordance with the COAG decision.
Other parts of the Act will come into effect as quickly as regulations and supporting operational procedures are finalised.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
(2) A number cannot be placed on the size of the starling population in Western Australia. Starlings are in very low numbers and detection is currently very difficult due to the low numbers.
(3) Four different approaches are being used. These include:
· direct surveillance and control by DAFWA staff;
· public awareness and public reporting to enhance detection;
· research and development into surveillance tools for low density populations;
· modelling to ensure that the surveillance and control strategies are optimised.
(4) In 2010/2011, DAFWA invested $593,000 in starling operational management and $131,000 in research and development. Additional funding of $91,000 was received from the Australian Government to assist with research into remote methods for detecting starlings.
(5) Operational funds were separated into two different theatres of operation: Eucla and the South Coast. The border protection component is estimated to cost $274,000 with the remaining $391,000 used on monitoring and control starlings on the South Coast. Research funds in 2010/2011 have primarily been used to develop remote methods for detecting starlings.
(6) In 2010/2011, 3.8 FTEs are working on the monitoring and eradication of starlings (2.0 FTEs at Eucla and 1.8 FTEs focussing on the South Coast).
(7) Operational funding was $730,000 in 2006/2007; $2,500,000 in 2007/2008; $2,850,000 in 2008/2009; $1,640,000 in 2009/2010; and $593,000 in 2010/2011. At the peak level of funding, there were approximately 20 FTEs (involving 39 DAFWA staff). Currently, there are 3.8 FTEs involving 9 staff.
(8) Yes
(9) Agencies like DAFWA and DEC tackle non industry specific biosecurity risks as a part of their ongoing natural resource management responsibilities. Also, a significant number of biosecurity initiatives have been funded through the NRM Program, with a strong focus on delivery through partnerships.
(10) Not applicable.
(11) All regulations are planned to be finalised by 30 June 2012.
(12) There are currently two barriers to full implementation of the Act. These are the
Controls of Agricultural/Veterinary Chemicals, Fertilisers and Stock Feeds (Chemical) Regulations
and the
Chemical Residues Regulations. These
are dependent upon a Council of Australian Governments (COAG) decision as to whether or not national standards in these areas will apply. These unproclaimed parts of the Act will be proclaimed in accordance with the COAG decision.
Other parts of the Act will come into effect as quickly as regulations and supporting operational procedures are finalised.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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