❓ Opposition questions the Premier about the Agriculture Minister's handling of the polyphagous shot-hole borer issue after a shift from eradication to management. The Premier defends the Minister, highlighting the national scope of the response and WA's contribution.
AnsweredQoN 226Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Polyphagous shot-hole borer226.Mr Lachlan Hunterto
thePremier:Today, Minister Jackie
Jarvis admitted that it is no longer technically feasible to eradicate the
polyphagous shot-hole borer, yet she is still in her job after presiding over
one of the most devastating biosecurity failures in Western Australia.Point of orderMr David Michael:I know members' statements were made
earlier today, but they stopped at 12:30. He is doing a statement, not a
question.The Speaker:I will not uphold that point of order.
The member was just about to ask the question. Please finish, member.Questions without notice resumedMr Lachlan Hunter:Will the Premier do the right thing
and remove the Minister for Agriculture and Food from her portfolio?
thePremier:Today, Minister Jackie
Jarvis admitted that it is no longer technically feasible to eradicate the
polyphagous shot-hole borer, yet she is still in her job after presiding over
one of the most devastating biosecurity failures in Western Australia.Point of orderMr David Michael:I know members' statements were made
earlier today, but they stopped at 12:30. He is doing a statement, not a
question.The Speaker:I will not uphold that point of order.
The member was just about to ask the question. Please finish, member.Questions without notice resumedMr Lachlan Hunter:Will the Premier do the right thing
and remove the Minister for Agriculture and Food from her portfolio?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
19 June 2025
Response time
0 days
Mr Roger Cook replied:Mr Speaker, we got
there at last! Unfortunately, the member did not do his research before he
asked the question. Maybe he was digging too deeply in his thesaurus of
political rhetoric and forgot to study the subject matter about which he was
asking. I take the question and I thank the member for it because it provides us
with an opportunity to put on the record the important work that has been done
in relation to the polyphagous shot-hole borer situation. This is not a battle that
has been going on for the last few months. Indeed, the Minister for Agriculture
and Food is one of a number of agriculture ministers who have been attempting
to address this issue since 2021. The program is not oversighted by the WA Government;
the work is undertaken by the National Management Group, which is a group of
biosecurity agencies all across Australia.Obviously, each agency in
each state has a role to play, and they all contribute to that national effort to
address that biosecurity risk. In this context, the biosecurity scientists
believed until this morning that eradication of the shot-hole borer was
possible. They formed the view this morning—the minister will rightly
pass on that information—that the national biosecurity response will
transition from eradication to management. That is the work of the national
scientific body working in this area.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members.Mr Roger Cook:It is not the WA government that has
given up; the National Management Group has changed the status of the
biosecurity effort in relation to this particular pest. Despite the fact that the
member opposite has not done any research to inform himself about this process,
I guess he is looking for information about what the state government is doing.
Of course, we have implemented a significant program, which includes $26.5 million
for our shot-hole borer response plan. This work is ongoing and will continue
for some time as we seek to respond to this particular issue. It includes $10.5
million to support the management of high-priority—Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Leader of the Opposition and member for
Bateman, the Premier is trying to finish his response.Mr Roger Cook:Our $26.5 million response includes
$2.5 million to support the management of high-priority and significant trees
in the inner metro areas most affected. As many members know, the only way that
we know of dealing with the shot-hole borer today is to eliminate the pests
altogether with the tree. It might mean just removing branches but sometimes it
is the entire tree itself. Really interesting science is going on at the moment
in research projects for alternative methods of management of the shot-hole
borer. The government has contributed a further $2 million towards those
efforts.We remain hopeful,
but the fact is that this is not a state agency response; this is a national
biosecurity response. We play our part in that national biosecurity response.
The National Management Group is a committee of scientists. We know that those
opposite do not like science, particularly when it comes—Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members! Leader of the Opposition!Mr Roger Cook:They do not like science, particularly
when it comes to climate change.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members, we are on a shortened question time
today. The longer you delay the responses, the fewer questions you are going to
get. Carry on, Premier.Mr Roger Cook:We will be informed by the science. Those
opposite will continue to rail against the science and we will have an
appropriate response to protect Western Australia's biosecurity.
Polyphagous shot-hole borer
there at last! Unfortunately, the member did not do his research before he
asked the question. Maybe he was digging too deeply in his thesaurus of
political rhetoric and forgot to study the subject matter about which he was
asking. I take the question and I thank the member for it because it provides us
with an opportunity to put on the record the important work that has been done
in relation to the polyphagous shot-hole borer situation. This is not a battle that
has been going on for the last few months. Indeed, the Minister for Agriculture
and Food is one of a number of agriculture ministers who have been attempting
to address this issue since 2021. The program is not oversighted by the WA Government;
the work is undertaken by the National Management Group, which is a group of
biosecurity agencies all across Australia.Obviously, each agency in
each state has a role to play, and they all contribute to that national effort to
address that biosecurity risk. In this context, the biosecurity scientists
believed until this morning that eradication of the shot-hole borer was
possible. They formed the view this morning—the minister will rightly
pass on that information—that the national biosecurity response will
transition from eradication to management. That is the work of the national
scientific body working in this area.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members.Mr Roger Cook:It is not the WA government that has
given up; the National Management Group has changed the status of the
biosecurity effort in relation to this particular pest. Despite the fact that the
member opposite has not done any research to inform himself about this process,
I guess he is looking for information about what the state government is doing.
Of course, we have implemented a significant program, which includes $26.5 million
for our shot-hole borer response plan. This work is ongoing and will continue
for some time as we seek to respond to this particular issue. It includes $10.5
million to support the management of high-priority—Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Leader of the Opposition and member for
Bateman, the Premier is trying to finish his response.Mr Roger Cook:Our $26.5 million response includes
$2.5 million to support the management of high-priority and significant trees
in the inner metro areas most affected. As many members know, the only way that
we know of dealing with the shot-hole borer today is to eliminate the pests
altogether with the tree. It might mean just removing branches but sometimes it
is the entire tree itself. Really interesting science is going on at the moment
in research projects for alternative methods of management of the shot-hole
borer. The government has contributed a further $2 million towards those
efforts.We remain hopeful,
but the fact is that this is not a state agency response; this is a national
biosecurity response. We play our part in that national biosecurity response.
The National Management Group is a committee of scientists. We know that those
opposite do not like science, particularly when it comes—Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members! Leader of the Opposition!Mr Roger Cook:They do not like science, particularly
when it comes to climate change.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members, we are on a shortened question time
today. The longer you delay the responses, the fewer questions you are going to
get. Carry on, Premier.Mr Roger Cook:We will be informed by the science. Those
opposite will continue to rail against the science and we will have an
appropriate response to protect Western Australia's biosecurity.
Polyphagous shot-hole borer
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