❓ Hon Peter Foss raises concerns about a resurgence of bush flies in WA, particularly impacting tourism in the Hyden-Great Southern district, and questions the potential link to the dung beetle program. Hon Kim Chance agrees to investigate.
AnsweredQoN 117Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Some time ago I asked the minister a question about the fly-baiting program and he advised it had ceased some years ago. I recently noticed an excessive number of bush flies; as many as before the baiting program started. I recently spent a week in the Hyden-great southern district. The bush flies were as bad as I have ever experienced. Hyden and other towns I visited are very important tourism destinations. I know that the minister said the program has finished, but will he please investigate whether there has been any scientific investigation to determine a resurgence of bush flies and whether it is related in any way to the failure of the dung beetle program. Hon KIM CHANCE
AnswerView source ↗
I will be happy to make those inquiries. In the last part of his question the member referred to the failure of the dung beetle program. I am not at all sure that that is the case. In the areas where the dung beetle was expected to survive, it has survived extremely well - but they are dead everywhere else! By virtue of the nature of the animal, the dung beetle requires a moist environment in which to survive. Hon Peter Foss : We have had a series of very dry seasons. Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. Hyden is in an area that is seasonally very dry. It is dry at the moment. Hon Peter Foss : Hopetoun and Bremer Bay are not. Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. However, the common bush fly, while not an agricultural pest in itself, is clearly a threat to the amenity of people. The blowfly is the more economically serious fly. I will make those inquiries and I hope will be able to show some linkage between that and other control measures that have been attempted but which have failed.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I will be happy to make those inquiries. In the last part of his question the member referred to the failure of the dung beetle program. I am not at all sure that that is the case. In the areas where the dung beetle was expected to survive, it has survived extremely well - but they are dead everywhere else! By virtue of the nature of the animal, the dung beetle requires a moist environment in which to survive. Hon Peter Foss : We have had a series of very dry seasons. Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. Hyden is in an area that is seasonally very dry. It is dry at the moment. Hon Peter Foss : Hopetoun and Bremer Bay are not. Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. However, the common bush fly, while not an agricultural pest in itself, is clearly a threat to the amenity of people. The blowfly is the more economically serious fly. I will make those inquiries and I hope will be able to show some linkage between that and other control measures that have been attempted but which have failed.
I will be happy to make those inquiries. In the last part of his question the member referred to the failure of the dung beetle program. I am not at all sure that that is the case. In the areas where the dung beetle was expected to survive, it has survived extremely well - but they are dead everywhere else! By virtue of the nature of the animal, the dung beetle requires a moist environment in which to survive. Hon Peter Foss : We have had a series of very dry seasons. Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. Hyden is in an area that is seasonally very dry. It is dry at the moment. Hon Peter Foss : Hopetoun and Bremer Bay are not. Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. However, the common bush fly, while not an agricultural pest in itself, is clearly a threat to the amenity of people. The blowfly is the more economically serious fly. I will make those inquiries and I hope will be able to show some linkage between that and other control measures that have been attempted but which have failed.
Hon Peter Foss : We have had a series of very dry seasons. Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. Hyden is in an area that is seasonally very dry. It is dry at the moment. Hon Peter Foss : Hopetoun and Bremer Bay are not. Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. However, the common bush fly, while not an agricultural pest in itself, is clearly a threat to the amenity of people. The blowfly is the more economically serious fly. I will make those inquiries and I hope will be able to show some linkage between that and other control measures that have been attempted but which have failed.
Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. Hyden is in an area that is seasonally very dry. It is dry at the moment. Hon Peter Foss : Hopetoun and Bremer Bay are not. Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. However, the common bush fly, while not an agricultural pest in itself, is clearly a threat to the amenity of people. The blowfly is the more economically serious fly. I will make those inquiries and I hope will be able to show some linkage between that and other control measures that have been attempted but which have failed.
Hon Peter Foss : Hopetoun and Bremer Bay are not. Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. However, the common bush fly, while not an agricultural pest in itself, is clearly a threat to the amenity of people. The blowfly is the more economically serious fly. I will make those inquiries and I hope will be able to show some linkage between that and other control measures that have been attempted but which have failed.
Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. However, the common bush fly, while not an agricultural pest in itself, is clearly a threat to the amenity of people. The blowfly is the more economically serious fly. I will make those inquiries and I hope will be able to show some linkage between that and other control measures that have been attempted but which have failed.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I will be happy to make those inquiries. In the last part of his question the member referred to the failure of the dung beetle program. I am not at all sure that that is the case. In the areas where the dung beetle was expected to survive, it has survived extremely well - but they are dead everywhere else! By virtue of the nature of the animal, the dung beetle requires a moist environment in which to survive. Hon Peter Foss : We have had a series of very dry seasons. Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. Hyden is in an area that is seasonally very dry. It is dry at the moment. Hon Peter Foss : Hopetoun and Bremer Bay are not. Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. However, the common bush fly, while not an agricultural pest in itself, is clearly a threat to the amenity of people. The blowfly is the more economically serious fly. I will make those inquiries and I hope will be able to show some linkage between that and other control measures that have been attempted but which have failed.
I will be happy to make those inquiries. In the last part of his question the member referred to the failure of the dung beetle program. I am not at all sure that that is the case. In the areas where the dung beetle was expected to survive, it has survived extremely well - but they are dead everywhere else! By virtue of the nature of the animal, the dung beetle requires a moist environment in which to survive. Hon Peter Foss : We have had a series of very dry seasons. Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. Hyden is in an area that is seasonally very dry. It is dry at the moment. Hon Peter Foss : Hopetoun and Bremer Bay are not. Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. However, the common bush fly, while not an agricultural pest in itself, is clearly a threat to the amenity of people. The blowfly is the more economically serious fly. I will make those inquiries and I hope will be able to show some linkage between that and other control measures that have been attempted but which have failed.
Hon Peter Foss : We have had a series of very dry seasons. Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. Hyden is in an area that is seasonally very dry. It is dry at the moment. Hon Peter Foss : Hopetoun and Bremer Bay are not. Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. However, the common bush fly, while not an agricultural pest in itself, is clearly a threat to the amenity of people. The blowfly is the more economically serious fly. I will make those inquiries and I hope will be able to show some linkage between that and other control measures that have been attempted but which have failed.
Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. Hyden is in an area that is seasonally very dry. It is dry at the moment. Hon Peter Foss : Hopetoun and Bremer Bay are not. Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. However, the common bush fly, while not an agricultural pest in itself, is clearly a threat to the amenity of people. The blowfly is the more economically serious fly. I will make those inquiries and I hope will be able to show some linkage between that and other control measures that have been attempted but which have failed.
Hon Peter Foss : Hopetoun and Bremer Bay are not. Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. However, the common bush fly, while not an agricultural pest in itself, is clearly a threat to the amenity of people. The blowfly is the more economically serious fly. I will make those inquiries and I hope will be able to show some linkage between that and other control measures that have been attempted but which have failed.
Hon KIM CHANCE : Yes. However, the common bush fly, while not an agricultural pest in itself, is clearly a threat to the amenity of people. The blowfly is the more economically serious fly. I will make those inquiries and I hope will be able to show some linkage between that and other control measures that have been attempted but which have failed.
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